Flames of War
by Silmarilz1701
Summary: Six months have passed since the events of Blood Bonds. A shadow is swiftly growing in the Perilous Lands, the name Morgana a ghost story as she hides, building her army of Saxons and spellswords. The war isn't coming. The war is here. Series 5 redo inspired by Sir Thomas Malory's book Le Morte d'Arthur.
1. Reports

_A/N: Welcome to the story Flames of War. This is the direct sequel to my story Blood Bonds. These stories are heavily inspired by Arthurian legend including the Original Characters. I've added the majority of Round Table knights from the tales. A few things to know without reading the other one:_

 _Last story included a magic reveal for Merlin. All the core knights + OCs Sir Gareth, Sir Gaheris, Sir Galahad, Sir Tor, and Sir Morholt, all know about it. Arthur and Gwen also know._

 _The main OC is Fira. See the opening A/N in Blood Bonds for details on her role. She is not a romance for any core character._

 _This series is an AU where in Lancelot never came back. It pissed me off that his return had so few long lasting consequences. So I'm doing it right this time._

 _Gwaine has two half brother (Gaheris and Gareth) and is Arthur's cousin through their moms. The entire previous story revolves around this plot point._

 _This takes place 6 months after Blood Bonds_

 _So without further ado, Flames of War, a Merlin fanfic inspired by Le Morte D'Arthur_.

* * *

 **Flames of War**

 **By Silmarilz1701**

* * *

 _"The joy of love is too short, and the sorrow thereof, and what cometh thereof, dureth over long."_

 _\- Le Morte D'Arthur_

* * *

The Rising Sun bustled with activity. At that late hour, only six patrons sat drinking, all of them Knights of Camelot. A roaring fire lit the large room, sending off waves of heat along with light. A man, dark haired and animated, told his story to the others. At the close, one of his companions laughed raucously before shaking his head.

"Gwaine, there is no _way_ that is what happened!" Tristan continued to chuckle as he sipped his tankard of mead.

Gwaine objected, standing tall at the head of his seated friends. He raised his drink. "It absolutely is! Ask Fira some time, she'll confirm it."

"Go home Gwaine, you're drunk," came Gaheris' sarcastic response. He sat beside Tristan and the two clinked mugs.

Mordred and Galahad shook their heads at Gwaine's antics. Beside them, Percival merely smirked as he put his drink to his lips. Glancing outside the window up at the moon, he turned to the others.

"I'm heading to bed." He looked at Gwaine. "I suggest you do the same. We have patrol in the morning."

Gwaine groaned and set down his tankard after taking a last swig of mead. "I was trying to forget."

Percival chuckled but he followed Gwaine out of the tavern. The others trickled out soon after, leaving the tavern closed for the night. The knights passed the night guards and nodded to them in greeting.

Each member of the group was eager for bed, as they had been busy all day with council meetings. Hence why the ended up in the tavern. Gwaine more often than not fondly reminded them all that he was driven to drink because of the idiots on the Council.

All the knights slept soundly that night.

The next morning, Fira found herself woken by Merlin. The king's manservant stood at the foot of her bed with a comical expression plastered across his face.

"What do you want?" Fira groaned.

Merlin laughed. "The King awaits us for a patrol. Remember?"

Fira shot up in bed. She rubbed her eyes and kicked off the sheets. Light had just begun streaming in through the windows of their chambers, which meant she wasn't too late.

"I completely forgot," she muttered, standing up from her cot and pushing Merlin out the door. "I'll change and we can go saddle the horses."

Merlin nodded. "I left some food out for you. I'm going to start on the horses while you change and eat." He ducked out before popping his head round again. "Don't forget to eat!"

Fira slipped into her riding clothes and fastened her black cape around her neck. She tossed her nightgown onto her bed before dashing to the table. There she found a piece of fresh bread and a handful of strawberries. Gobbling up the fruit, she didn't even sit to eat. Instead she stuck the bread wedge half into her mouth, slipped on her boots, and dashed out the door.

The hallways were bustling with activity. She tried as hard as she could to avoid bumping her fellow servants, but failed more often than not. As she ran across the courtyard, she dodged her cat, Nada. The feline let out an irritated meow and Fira yelled back an apology.

There was a breeze that morning which cooled the air. Summer in Camelot was never excruciatingly hot, but it could get quite warm. Today felt much more bearable compared to recent weather.

She panted, skidding to a halt outside the stables. The king's horse Hengroen stood ready, tied to the stables outside. Luagor, Lamri, Hengist, and Hadwin stood next to him. Fira finished her bread wedge and slipped inside. She found Merlin with Gringolet.

"No sign of the knights yet," Fira told him with a smile. "I thought I would be late!"

Merlin shook his head with a smile. "You're lucky."

"Destiny, my friend," she replied cheekily with a wink. "Not luck."

Merlin laughed and led Gwaine's horse outside to join the others. Fira started work on Aland.

"Good morning sir," she said to her horse with a smile. "How are you this fine morning?" The horse neighed, and Fira laughed. She pet his nose. "Just because you're last doesn't make you least important. It's the place of honor."

Once Aland was ready, Fira led him outside the stables. There she found Merlin, Gwaine, and Galahad laughing about something or other. Gwaine and Galahad nodded to her in greeting. She made her way to them.

"Surprised you're here early." Fira poked Gwaine in the arm.

He smirked. "Yeah well, I can be responsible once and a while."

"Gwaine and responsible in the same sentence?" Percival laughed as he came into view. "That'll be the day."

Fira nodded along. "So where are we headed today?"

Percival, Gwaine, and Galahad all turned serious in an instant. Their reactions we're enough to worry Fira, but the response made it much worse.

"We finally have a lead on Morgana," Gwaine replied, a deep seeded anger audible in his voice. "Gaheris' patrol got back from our northern border yesterday with reports of massive troop movements."

"Same as always. We already knew about the increased activity." Merlin put his hands on his hips. "What's new?"

"We finally have a name," Percival said simply. "Dunnottar."

"That's in the northern wastes," Merlin gaped. "You really think Morgana's there?"

Galahad shrugged. "Where else could she amass such a large number of spellswords and Saxons?"

Arthur, Elyan, and Leon interrupted the group upon their arrival. They mounted without much to do, Arthur leading them out quickly. Once they crossed out of the city, Merlin spoke up.

"You can't be leading us to Castle Dunnottar," Merlin asked, riding up next to Arthur. "That's weeks away."

"I'm not an idiot, Merlin." King Arthur rolled his eyes. "We're not going to Dunnottar."

Leon spoke up when Arthur didn't elaborate. "Gaheris' patrol finally managed to single out the route Morgana's Saxons take to get there. We're going to investigate."

"Investigate?" Merlin leaned forward in his saddle to look Arthur in the face. "Sounds like a suicide mission."

"Don't be such a girl's petticoat," Arthur glared. He lowered his voice and poked Merlin in the arm. "After all, you can kill without even lifting a finger."

"I prefer not to."

Arthur laughed. "Of course. I forgot."

Fira rolled her eyes from where she rode as rear guard with Elyan. Arthur really was a prat sometimes. She saw Elyan smirking at her and she objected.

"What?"

He shrugged with a laugh on his lips. "You just get all defensive over Merlin and it's funny."

Fira went to object. "I don't get-"

"Yes you do," Percival replied from in front of them. "Don't try to deny it."

Fira grumbled inaudibly. Her eyes flashed gold and a tree branch fell in front of Percival's horse. His steed sidestepped, jostling Percival slightly. The knight turned in his saddle and glared. He was met with a smile.

The day wore on and soon evening fell. The forested area they rode through had already darkened beyond what they could deal with so Arthur called a halt. He sent Leon and Gwaine out hunting for dinner. Merlin and Galahad started gathering wood for the fire while Fira dealt with the horses.

"I know today was a long one," she soothed Gringolet as the horse dragged his feet in weariness. "I'm taking you to drink. Come on."

The horses followed after her obediently as she took them not far from camp to where a stream rushed through the forest. Percival was there already, filling the waterskins. He looked up when she came towards him.

"I still won't get used to that." He pointed to where the horses stopped as she stopped.

Fira giggled. "What can I say? It pays to be able to communicate with animals."

As she spoke, a red fox broke into the clearing, barking and chittering as only foxes can. Percival stood up and drew his sword. The horses, startled by the fox's sudden appearance, scrambled back.

"Woah!" Fira threw out her hands. "Calm down. It's alright."

Once the horses were under control, Fira turned back to the fox. It stood obediently, staring at Percival in confusion. Fira knelt down in front of it.

"Cwidde," she commanded in the language of the Old Religion.

The fox bowed his head. Now given the ability of human speech, he delivered his message.

"My brethren have kept watch in the wilds as you command, Lady Nyx." He allowed his gaze to land warily upon Percival before looking back at Fira. "I bring tidings."

"What news?"

"My brother Stiv recently died delivering word to me," lamented the fox. "He brought me tidings that the witch has a powerful ally."

Percival spoke up. "Who?"

"Aithusa, a white dragon." The fox trembled. "She watches the skies. Beware of open ground. The witch has spies _everywhere._ "

 _Spies everywhere_. Fira feared as much. But she had not anticipated a dragon. She'd need to speak to Merlin of this. Perhaps he knew Aithusa? He was a Dragonlord after all.


	2. Evening Skirmish

Merlin confirmed Aithusa's existence while he stood guard that night with Gwaine and Fira. He told them the story of her hatching, and how he had lost track of her since that day. He found it worrying indeed that Aithusa allied with Morgana.

In the morning, Galahad and Elyan woke the company. The sunlight filtered down through the trees, dappling the ground. They breakfasted quickly. Arthur was eager to continue on.

The king began briefing them as all mounted up. "The spot Gaheris marked is within a day's ride. We should reach it by sundown."

"Is an ambush in the dark a good idea?" Fira looked hesitant.

Gwaine simply laughed. "We'll be fine. We have you and Merlin."

Arthur rolled his eyes. "Not to mention the best knights in the land."

Fira nodded. She supposed they were right. It was a surprise attack anyways. There was no way Morgana would get caught unawares this close to Camelot. She was too smart for that.

As they rode through the forest, Gwaine told them a story about himself and his love Lorie. Only in the past few months had he managed to bring himself to tell these tales. Her leaving for the Otherworld remained a touchy subject. After all, their parting hadn't been voluntary.

Fira enjoyed hearing about Lorie. She had enjoyed the faerie woman's company in Somerset even over the few weeks they were there. Fira also figured it helped Gwaine deal with her absence.

The day drew to a close as they approached a deep valley. Arthur ordered them to dismount. Fira tied the horses to a few trees.

"From here we go on foot."

They all obeyed without complaint. Gwaine quieted down, for despite popular belief he could in fact be quiet. He just didn't enjoy it. Behind Gwaine and Arthur, Leon and Merlin crept along, followed by Elyan and Percival. At the very back, Galahad accompanied Fira. The knights all drew their swords.

With each step forward, Fira felt herself and her companions tensing. They snuck to the edge of the cliff face and looked down. A small caravan of Saxons were putting up camp down below. Arthur signaled for his companions to back away from the edge. With two fingers he pointed to the right.

They took it slow, slithering like snakes quietly down the side of the cliff into the valley. Arthur signaled for Gwaine to take Fira and Galahad around to the other edge of the valley. Leon, Elyan, and Percival went to the left side. Arthur decided to take Merlin and head straight forward.

Merlin caught sight of the lookout first. He used his magic to knock the man unconscious with a rock fall. Arthur looked back at him and nodded appreciatively. The groups moved forward again.

The clash of swords rung out as Leon's group engaged the Saxons. Now, their cover blown, Arthur shouted and ran forward, striking at a large man before him. Merlin, still hesitant to use magic with Morgana's men involved, used a sword to keep himself safe. Nevertheless, his focus remained on the king.

Gwaine engaged two men, one with better armor than the rest. He managed to disarm the smaller, weaker adversary but the second was proving to be a problem.

To his left, Fira used a mix of her light sword and her magic to dispatch the enemies. Galahad stood at her back, defending her exposed side as best he could.

It suddenly became blatantly obvious to Gwaine _why_ the burly man he was currently engaged with had special armor. The knight found himself flying backwards from magic. He hit the side of the cliff with a horrible thud.

Fortunately for Gwaine, Galahad saw it happen. He shouted for Fira who turned and threw a ball of flames at the battlemage. The man let out a shout but quickly recovered when his armor blocked the brute of the damage. With a snarl, Fira spoke a word of the Old Religion and threw her hand forward.

"Líget!"

A stream of lightning sparks shot from her outstretched palm. As they collided with the metal armor, the man screamed and dropped to the ground. Fira assumed he was dead. Galahad, standing over Gwaine's unconscious body, shouted for her help.

"He's bleeding from his head," the young knight told her quickly as she rushed over.

She nodded and knelt beside Gwaine. "Cover me."

Galahad didn't have to be told twice. As Fira looked Gwaine over for other injuries, he defended them valiantly. Fira breathed the one healing spell she was proficient in, removing the risk of infection. But the blood was still running down his head from where he'd hit the rocks.

Soon enough the fight drew to an end. When Merlin and Arthur rushed over to Gwaine, Fira was holding a piece of her ripped shirt against his head wound to keep it from bleeding.

"He alright?" Arthur asked quickly, skidding to a halt at Gwaine's feet.

Fira nodded. "I think so, though he'll be dizzy for a few days and he's going to have crazy bruising."

A small moan escaped Gwaine's lips as he slowly opened his eyes. Confusion was evident on his face.

"Am I hung over?"

Fira chuckled. "Not this time. You just got hit really hard on the head."

Gwaine randomly laughed. "That would explain why there's four Merlins."

Galahad helped Gwaine sit up. Upon Fira's instruction, the injured knight used his left hand to hold the cloth against his head while his right hand steadied himself.

"Sire, we found something." Elyan rushed over and gestured for Arthur to follow.

Arthur nodded before turning back to Gwaine. "Don't do anything stupid."

"Who, me?"

Merlin chuckled as he and Galahad lifted Gwaine to his feet. "By the gods, Gwaine. You're so heavy!"

"Hey!" Gwaine wobbled forward. "It's not fat, it's just muscle."

"I never said you were fat," Merlin teased. "Is that an insecurity I hear?"

As Gwaine vocally protested from where Galahad, Merlin, and Fira helped him, King Arthur followed Elyan to where Leon and Percival stood. At their feet lay the body of a second battlemage.

Arthur nodded. "What have you found?"

"This man was in possession of a note." Leon handed it to his king along with the torch he'd lit.

Arthur opened it.

" _Lady Morgana,_

 _It is with glad tidings that I write you. The muster is going well. Half our forces are gathered outside the Perilous Lands as I write this and the others are headed north to you._

 _Current totals:_

 _6,100 Saxon Warriors_

 _70 Battlemages_

 _I hope you have found the information you've been searching for. With this caravan I am sending the second batch of stones. Hopefully this will be enough to satisfy you._

 _Yours to command,_

 _D"_

"Six thousand is more than we anticipated," Leon reminded the king quietly.

Arthur nodded in quiet contemplation. He looked around, glancing from the note to the wrecked caravan. His heart sunk. "We need to increase the training. Fast."

"What of the stones the note speaks of?" Elyan began to search the caravan with his eyes.

Nodding, the King gestured around. "Make a quick search for anything suspect. We'll take it back to Camelot."

"Where are the others?" Percival asked.

"I sent them up to the horses. Gwaine was injured."

"They might need help keeping him upright. Should I join them?"

"Good idea."

Percival split from the group, taking his own torch to guide the way as darkness fell completely. He found Galahad and Merlin attempting to keep Gwaine upright as his concussion symptoms kept trying to derail them. Gwaine simply couldn't walk straight.

Percival took Merlin's spot and eased the brunt of Gwaine's weight onto himself and off of Galahad. The other knight wasn't weak, but he was smaller than Gwaine.

When they reached the horses, Merlin began to prepare camp while Fira treated Gwaine's head wound. Galahad gathered firewood, leaving Percival on guard until the other three arrived.

Gwaine had fallen asleep on his stomach for which Fira was quite thankful. She rolled up his shirt to reveal several dark bruises that had formed on his back.

"Percival, bring the torch closer please."

He did as she asked and sat on Gwaine's other side to bring the torch down to her level. Fira nodded her thanks and dug through her medicine bag for salves of yarrow, lavender, and chamomile.

"This should reduce the inflammation," she told the knight that sat next to her.

She carefully applied the herbal medicine but wasn't surprised at all when Gwaine woke up from the pain. He tried to sit up but Arthur, who had recently come back to camp, shut that down.

"Stay there, Gwaine. And quit wiggling like a worm." The King rolled his eyes. "Seriously sometimes I don't understand how we're related."

"I completely agree, princess." Gwaine smirked at him from where he was held against the ground. "I can't quite understand how I managed to get both the brains and the looks."

"Oh please," Fira laughed as she pulled his shirt back down. "King Arthur is at least as smart as you."

"Ah, maybe, but not as good looking," Gwaine winked and pushed himself back so he could sit normally. "Be the judge, Fira. You're the only girl here."

Fira raised her eyebrows and shook her head. "I will _not_ be dragged into this sorry little game of yours."

With a laugh, Gwaine gladly took the plate of food Merlin offered him. The group ate mostly in silence, busy devouring their meals. Tomorrow they would ride hard towards Camelot. They wanted to get as far away from this place as possible come morning.


	3. Return to Camelot

They traveled as quickly as they dared with the still-dizzy Gwaine. He continued to get small headaches from the sunlight, but there was nothing for Fira to do. Arthur, eager to return to Camelot, forced them on.

By the second evening, the patrol caught sight of the turrets of the citadel. Arthur urged them on even faster. None objected; they all wanted to get home for a good meal and some well-earned rest. As the horses trotted through the city, the people stepped aside for the king and his knights.

Merlin and Fira helped put the horses in the stables alongside the two twin servants, Mark and Michael. Mark most often worked as Gwaine's servants, while his brother helped Sir Tristan. They were good young men.

"Find anything important on patrol?" Michael asked as he wiped down Galahad's horse Hadwin.

Mark added, "You did come back pretty quick."

"That's top secret," Merlin laughed. "I'd have to kill you."

But Fira was more forthcoming. "Sir Gwaine got injured."

Mark looked at her in concern. "That isn't good. Is he alright?" He felt honored to serve Gwaine. The man didn't force him to do too much.

Fira, taking care of her own horse assured him he was fine. "He'll just be having headaches for a few more days."

"Sir Tristan was in a bad mood today," Michael said as he switched to undoing Luagor's tack. "Something about 'too many new recruits'."

"You know how most of the knights dislike evaluating the prospects." Merlin chuckled. "Since King Arthur started calling for mass training, it's been hard on the knights."

"A new round of recruits for knighthood is said to arrive in the next day or two," Mark added.

Michael grumbled. "I bet I could best more than half of them."

Fira remained quiet, listening to the young men around her lament their lack of options in life. The twins didn't mind being servants, but they also would've loved to be able to defend their country in battle. As she finished with Aland and saw the rest had been wiped down already, she suggested they grab a meal together.

"I'm quite hungry," she bemoaned. "Any of you care to grab food?"

Mark, Michael, and Merlin all instantly volunteered. Merlin asked them to wait a few minutes while he brought the King his dinner. Together Fira and the twins followed more slowly while Merlin rushed ahead to deliver supper to the monarchs.

"So you think you could beat the new recruits?" Fira looked at the twins curiously. "How?"

"Before we got here three years ago, we worked my mother's farm with our older brother." Michael dove into an account of their days outside the citadel. "Mark and I, and James our brother, would defend the farm from bandits, wolves, things like that."

Fira looked surprised. "How'd you end up here?"

"One day, James was killed doing that." Mark bitterly shook his head. "My mother sold the farm and moved us here. We got jobs as servants to keep her afloat."

"I'm sorry about the loss of your brother. But I'm glad you ended up here," Fira said with a frown. "After all, Jetta has made sure I don't have friends."

Michael agreed. "She's no good. The other servants go along with her because they're afraid she'll spin something against them."

At last they reached the kitchens. The cook handed all three their plates for dinner. It consisted of a bit of chicken, two rolls, and some cooked leeks. They decided to meet Merlin back in Gaius' Chambers. They were pleased that Merlin managed to catch up to them just as they entered the rooms.

"I hate leeks," Fira muttered as she took a quick bite. "They're disgusting."

"Better than sprouts," Mark shook his head. "Those are worse."

Merlin gobbled his food down without complaint. He was starving. He didn't miss Fira watching him in amusement.

"Guess what." Merlin spoke up once their eating came to an end. "The new recruits arrived tonight. And so did the Horse traders."

"Oh really?" Fira looked at him in surprise.

Michael leaned forward. "What did they say? Did they agree to the King's request?"

Merlin smiled and nodded. "Yes. The Horse master is contributing thirty horses for compensation to the war effort."

Mark clapped his hands together. "That's fantastic!" He then asked about the recruits. "We does training start? Shall I get Sir Gwaine up on time tomorrow?"

"No need." Merlin laughed at his question. "Training starts tomorrow after lunch. So unless Gwaine sleeps _that_ late it shouldn't be an issue."

Fira shrugged. "I wouldn't put it past him, Merlin. Especially with the head injury."

"It wasn't that bad was it?" Merlin looked alarmed.

"No," she chuckled. "No, he's fine. He is just going to enjoy training even _less_ tomorrow."

They all laughed. The servant spoke together a little while longer, mostly exchanging funny stories of things they had to do for their jobs. But soon enough, the time for bed came around. Mark and Michael bid them goodnight.

"Any idea where Gaius is?" Fira quizzed Merlin.

He shook his head. "No idea."

She shrugged. "I'm going to bed."

With a simple goodnight, Merlin left her to change and sleep in her little side room addition they'd put in. It was a converted storeroom, and rather small, but it worked. It had a bed and some storage and that's all that really mattered.

Her dreams became nightmares that night. The cursed dream Morgana had put in her mind ran rampant. But by this point, Fira learned to numb herself against that horrible dream. Besides that one, she felt haunted by the words of the White Stag she'd encountered on the way to Somerset.

 _Red eyes. Camelot in flames. A hooded and cloaked figure. An execution. Traitors. Betrayal. War._

It hurt her mind, trying to comprehend all the images the stag had communicated. Fira had yet to be able to sort through them all, to make any sort of sense of them.

" _Beware of what you will become."_

That statement the stag had imposed on her terrified her. What was she to become? Perhaps a good thing, and she needed to guard against being greedy for more? More likely something bad.

But really it boiled down to the fact that she simply didn't know. Because of this, she refused to tell anyone, even Merlin.

When the sun rose the next morning, Fira rolled out of bed and slipped into a plain yellow dress. Her heart hurt from the pain of the dreams, but she hid it was a smile as she joined Gaius and Merlin in the common area.

"Good morning." Gaius smiled at her. He held out a plate of food. "Are you going to watch the training today?"

"I plan to yes." She nodded. "Unless you need me here?"

Gaius shook his head. "Actually, I only need your help this morning. We are going to do a check of the new arrivals, make sure they're healthy enough to participate."

"Sounds like a good idea," she agreed.

Merlin nodded. "I got the King his breakfast early today, so I should be able to join you mid morning. First I have to polish his armor."

"King needs it spick and span," Fira laughed.

Merlin made a face. "Yeah. I know."

They finished breakfast and split their different directions. Merlin headed to the armory, while Fira and Gaius started towards the lower town. However half way there, Fira realized she needed to do something. She told Gaius to go on ahead and turned towards the knights' rooms. She felt a twinge of guilt as she knocked on Gwaine's door. He hated getting up early. But this was important.

After a minute of waiting, an exhausted, disheveled Gwaine answered the door. His shirt was half on, likely slipped on in a last minute decision to look decent. His hair was an absolute mess, a rarity for the knight.

"What do you want at this ungodly hour?"

Fira rolled her eyes. "Calm down, Gwaine. I have a favor to ask."

He leaned against the door frame and gestured for her to continue.

"Ask the King to allow Mark and Michael to join the recruits."

Gwaine raised an eyebrow in question. "Can they wield a sword?"

"Yes."

"Okay." Gwaine nodded. "They're good men. I'll see what I can do."

Fira smiled. "Great!"

Gwaine nodded and went back inside to change into decent clothes. Now that he was up, he decided he might as well go speak with Arthur. He slipped into a nice blue shirt and brown pants over which he pulled his boots. At last he set off to find the king.


	4. Familiar Faces

Gwaine made his way to the royal quarters. When he knocked, Arthur shouted for him to enter. He found the king working at his desk.

"Gwaine," Arthur said in surprise. "You're up early."

"I could say the same to you," Gwaine countered good-naturedly. He walked further inside and sat down across from the king nonchalantly. "I have a request."

"You may not have the day off," Arthur said, holding his hand up.

Gwaine chuckled. "Not my question, but good to know."

Arthur gestured for him to continue as the king put down his quill pen and signet ring. He gave his full attention to the knight.

"There are two people I think you should consider especially for knighthood," Gwaine started. "They are good men, and know how to fight. They're extremely loyal to Camelot and to you."

"They definitely sound like they'd be worth looking at," the king agreed. "What are their names?"

"The twins, Mark and Michael."

"The servants?" Arthur looked surprised. "Yours and Tristan's?"

Gwaine nodded.

"I don't know," the king sighed. "The council will have a fit."

"Can we afford to be picky in war?" Gwaine urged the king on. "With Morgana out there, we need every able body we have! Damn the council, and damn the rules."

"Careful, Gwaine," Arthur warned.

Gwaine laughed. "Oh come off it. You married a servant. It's not like you aren't against breaking the rules."

With a dramatic eye roll, Arthur nodded. "True. Very well, but you're in charge of their training."

"You want me in charge of them?" Gwaine flashed Arthur a conspiratorial smile. "Those two? Now you're just asking for trouble."

"Don't make me regret this."

Gwaine winked as he stood. Giving the king a mock bow, he sped out of the room and went to take his breakfast in his quarters. He looked forward to giving Mark the good news.

Meanwhile, Fira and Gaius reached the lower town and exited the gates of Camelot. The town was already bustling with activity. Kids ran to and fro, eager to see the newest caravan for the war effort. The entire clearing outside the Citadel and Camelot City was filled to the brim with tents for sleeping and stalls with food for the masses. The horse traders took up any remaining space with the thirty horses they'd brought in.

"Let's start with the teenagers," Gaius decided as he shuffled along with Fira. "The youngest of the group that is fit for fighting."

Fira nodded. "Sounds like a good plan."

They reached the tent allotted for them. A whole line of people had formed by ages. Sixteen was the cut off age for knight and guard recruits. Gaius and Fira took their seats at opposite ends of the tent and took patients one at time from these.

They finished the sixteen and seventeen year olds in an hour. Fira joked around with a boy her age when she finished and sent him out the door with a clean bill of health. She beckoned for the guard to let in her next patient. Her face turned white as sheet when she recognized the man.

"Mikhail."

The young man stepped forward, wary of Fira. Memories flooded back to Fira's mind, memories of her first month with the knights and serving Camelot. She and the knights had been on patrol when they stopped overnight at a cabin with a small family. The father of the family had been executed for magic some years before leaving three children and a widow. The middle child, a boy named Pavel, had attempted the kill Percival in revenge. Fira had used her magic to stop him. This made Mikhail, the oldest, a threat. He knew her secret and had every reason to expose her. Her face betrayed the terror in her heart.

"Hello, Fira." Mikhail came over and bowed his head in greeting. "It's been awhile."

Fira shivered in fear and nodded. "Nearly two years."

"That long?" He paused. "I guess you're right."

Fira gestured for Mikhail to sit down. She listened to his breathing in silence as he watched her. At last she stood up and faced him.

"What are you doing here?"

Mikhail appeared genuinely surprised. "I'm trying for knighthood. It's been opened to commoners for the war effort."

Fira leaned in and whispered. "But you have every reason to hate Arthur Pendragon." She shook her head. "Don't think I've forgotten what happened to your family."

"I told you last time." Mikhail glared at her. "I do not hold King Arthur responsible for his father's actions."

"What about Pavel?"

Mikhail sighed to her. "It would be best if he doesn't know you're here. He'd probably say some unfortunate things."

She agreed with him. Pavel was a ticking bomb. As soon as he figured out she lived in the Citadel, he'd try to blow the whistle on her magic. It now became only a matter of when, not if, her magic is exposed.

"You're free to go," Fira told him ten minutes later after asking a series of questions. "You're in fine health."

Mikhail thanked her and left the tent. Fira continued to treat patients until lunch, at which point Gaius dismissed her. She grabbed food in the kitchen and ate most of it in her chambers. When all that remained was a chunk of bread, she decided to eat it while watching the knights train the newest recruits.

By the time she reached the fields, they were bustling with activity. Every knight of Camelot had a group of recruits to train except Leon. The first knight of Camelot stood beside the King near a rack of weapons. They spoke together quietly, Leon gesturing every once and awhile to certain people.

Fira smiled and waved at them when they caught her gaze. Both nodded in greeting and slowly made their way over to where she stood beside a tree. Along the way, Arthur watched those he passed carefully and critically. Eventually the two men reached her.

Arthur got straight to the point. "How'd the intake go this morning?"

"Fine, mostly." She hesitated, and then decided to tell them about Mikhail. "Leon, do you remember the family we ran into over a year ago? The one with the kid who tried to stab Percival?"

Leon suddenly nodded and turned to Arthur. "I was telling you how I recognized the young man with Gwaine. That's how I know him."

"Mikhail's training with Gwaine?" Fira looked satisfied. "I got lucky there."

"Why?" Arthur looked confused.

It was Leon who clarified it for him. "Mikhail knows certain details about Fira that we'd all rather remain secret."

"Ah." A frown passed over Arthur's face. He looked around before facing Fira again. "Well, we have Gwaine training him alongside the servant twins."

"Mark and Michael?" Fira's face lit up. "They're going to be so happy!"

Leon and Arthur have quick laughs at her enthusiasm. Arthur reminded her that he had yet to see them in action.

"I'm sure Gwaine will let you know how they do," Arthur nodded to her. "You're welcome to stay here and watch. Unfortunately it's too dangerous to have you walking around inside the field."

She smiled and nodded. "I understand."

Fira ended up leaving the training fields not long after. She decided to take a nap. Rising early had never been her strong suit. When she woke late in the day, it was past dinner. She had not intended to sleep that long. She wandered out into the main room of their chambers.

"Look who's alive." Merlin laughed as he took a bite of stew.

"I could say the same about you," she teased. "Not knocked around too much I hope?"

"No, Arthur had me running errands more than anything else today." He handed her a bowl of food as she sat down. Then he lowered his voice. "Mordred seems to be getting along well with certain people."

Fira blushed for Mordred's sake and laughed. "You mean Kara? I spoke to him about her. She was a druid as well who lost her clan and came to Camelot when Arthur lifted the ban on druids."

"They're getting quite close." Merlin smirked as she continued to giggle.

"Can you blame him? They used to be lovers before he left for Somerset." She sighed romantically. "Now they're back together."

"I don't know. A servant and a knight?" Merlin frowned. "This won't end well."

Fira objected immediately. "I'm courting Galahad. He is a knight, you might recall."

"Fair enough. But you're not really a servant. You just live in the palace. You don't _serve_ Gaius. You work with him." Merlin spoke as he filled his water cup again from the boiled and chilled water. He walked back over to the table and slid into a seat. "Besides, I'm sure you realize there are more complicated matters."

Fira folded her arms and spoke quietly. "She hasn't used her magic that I'm aware of." She looked at Merlin critically, disgust on her face. "Will you ever stop distrusting Mordred? It's been six months, Merlin. Six months. He hasn't been anything but cordial to you."

Merlin sighed and put his head in his hands for a moment. When he looked at her again, he saw her face softened in regret of her words. "I just don't want to see everything we've worked for fall."

"It won't."


	5. The Rising Sun

The routine remained the same for the knights of Camelot: wake up early, train until noon, have lunch, train until evening, have dinner. For the Round Table, it then concluded with a small meeting with the King and then, more often than not, a trip to the Rising Sun at the end of the night.

Gwaine and Leon sat in on council meetings a couple times, Gwaine's least favorite part of being recognized as the cousin of the King. He complained that Gareth and Gaheris only went to a few council meetings each month while he went to many more. Arthur liked to remind Gwaine that he was, in fact, next in line for the throne if he and Gwen died. It was practice for that. Gwaine felt convinced that the truth was Arthur liked to torture him.

Two and a half weeks of daily training meant everyone involved felt exhausted. Mark and Michael turned out to be exceptional fighters for their age and upbringing. Gwaine enjoyed training them. Mikhail's skills were evident too, though the Knights of the Round Table were busier keeping an eye on him out of suspicion. It wasn't exactly fair to him; he had been nothing but a model soldier, keeping Fira's secret hidden.

For her part, Fira had been kept busy gathering herbs and mixing medicines for the war effort. It seemed half of all patrols came back injured if they traveled towards the Perilous Lands or the Northern Borders. Even inside the borders of Camelot, reports of attacks on outlying villages had increased exponentially over the course of a few months. So she kept herself busy.

So it was one morning several weeks after the start of the twins' training. Fira bustled about the physician chambers inventorying the supplies yet again. She noticed mint was running low when the door opened behind her.

"Percival!" She smiled widely. The knights had been rather elusive the past few weeks. "What brings you here?"

"The King needs us in a meeting. You included." He held the door open for her as she dropped what she was doing and made to leave. As they walked together towards the King's chambers, he spoke up again. "You should join us in the tavern sometime." With a smirk he added, "Galahad misses you."

Fira chuckled. "Maybe I will. I miss my knights… occasionally."

"We'll be there tonight."

They climbed some stairs and reached the royal chambers several minutes later. Percival knocked and Arthur's voice sounded inside. He called for them to enter.

"Ah, good." The king nodded at them. "I have a small mission for you."

Assembled inside were Gwaine, Leon, Elyan, Percival, and Galahad. Gwen was on the other side of the room talking with the servant Kara. Kara had quickly moved up in the serving world and now took over as Gwen's maidservant. Gwen's other maidservant, Eva, had left for home to care for her ailing mother.

Fira cocked her head in question. "What's the mission?"

"Patrol," Arthur told her. "But mostly I want to use it as a training mission for Gwaine's recruits."

Elyan nodded. "Where are we going?"

"Border with the Perilous Lands." Arthur paused before sighing. "I'm going to regret this. But Gwaine you're in charge."

Gwaine grinned. "Over Leon?"

Leon looked positively put out. Even so, he didn't complain.

"Yes," the king replied. "I want you in charge because of your recruits."

"So, I now outrank Leon in the field as _well_ as the council meeting." Gwaine smirked and winked at Leon.

Arthur shook his head and raised his hand. "You do not outrank Sir Leon in the field. This is temporary, Gwaine."

Gwaine just snickered as Arthur turned the conversation around. He explained that their destination should be safe, but he wanted to send a large group just in case.

"When do we leave?" Fira asked her king.

"Day after tomorrow." He looked around. He saw the tired faces of his knights and nodded to them. "You're all dismissed. It's been a long day, go rest."

They bid the king and queen good night. Galahad quickly caught up with Fira as she left the room. He grabbed her hand.

"Come with us to the tavern tonight," he begged, going doe-eyed. "Please!"

Fira laughed as he pulled her closer. With a dramatic roll of her eyes, she put her hand on his chest. "You want me to come?"

He nodded. "At least Gwaine behaves a _little_ more when you're around."

"Oh please." She laughed so hard for a few moments her chest hurt. "Gwaine hardly behaves when I'm there."

She agreed to spend some time in the Rising Sun that night. Together she and Galahad walked through the Citadel, down into the upper city and lower town. The others had gone straight to the tavern, and they were late to the party.

It was particularly crowded that night. As the couple opened the door, a loud crash and yelling was heard. Some poor sod had angered the management. Fira and Galahad stood aside as the man was physically thrown out the door and into the dirt.

Galahad and Fira stepped around him. When they entered, Percival waved them over to the large table around back. It was Gwaine's favorite. The man in question stood at the bar,grabbing several large pints of mead. Galahad headed over to help him carry. Fira went straight to the table. As a young woman, she often attracted unsavory attention from the drunkards, as any lady in a tavern did.

"Fira!" Gareth grinned as he saw her.

Everyone turned to look in surprise. At the table sat many knights: Tristan, Gaheris, Gareth, Elyan, Leon, Percival, Tor, Morholt, and Mordred. Gwaine and Galahad soon joined them. Fira grabbed a seat as far in the corner as she could. This put her between Mordred and Galahad.

"What brings you in here tonight," Tor asked her. "I thought you hated these fine establishments."

"The lovely Sir Galahad," Fira winked at her beloved knight. "I couldn't say no."

"Is Merlin coming?" Gwaine asked her. "I invited him earlier."

As she was about to respond, the raven-haired man ran over to them. He grinned and pulled up a chair. Gwaine slapped him on the back.

"Good to see yah here, mate." The knight raised a tankard high and the others joined him. "To the war, that it ends soon with a Camelot victory!"

"Hear hear!" Tristan echoed as they all clinked drinks.

The group broke off into smaller conversations. Gwaine and Merlin were talking up a storm with Elyan and Gaheris. Gareth and Percival spoke much more quietly, while Tor and Leon traded stories of the day with Morholt and Tristan.

Fira turned to Mordred. "How's Kara?"

"She's well. She enjoys her position as interim maidservant for the Queen." Mordred almost seemed to blush at the question. "She's very interested in hearing about all of us. I think she finds our lives interesting."

Fira chuckled. "Well, you _are_ a knight."

"Have you taken her to the Hill yet?" Galahad chipped in quickly.

Mordred shook his head. He hadn't time to, he told them. He wanted to. Everyone loved the Hill. Located right outside Camelot's city to the left, it was a hill decorated in wild flowers during summer. It became a very popular spot for couples.

Mordred turned to Morholt on his right. He was eager to turn the conversation. "Hey, how's your arm doing?"

He didn't even have time to answer before Fira jumped on it. "What'd you do to your arm?"

"Pulled a muscle during recruit training is all," Morholt assured her. He moved it around to prove it to her. "It's feeling a little better, thank you."

Fira looked at him in annoyance. "You still should've come to me or Gaius."

Galahad gave a laugh beside her. "Morholt's too quiet for that."

"I am not quiet!"

"Yes you are," Mordred smirked.

"I'm just used to Tor here talking over everything I try to say." Morholt gestured to the man at his right.

Tor heard his name and turned around. "What?"

"I was just saying you talk too much."

Tor rolled his eyes. "Not this again." He looked at the other three. "He just doesn't talk very much so I fill in the gaps!"

"That's what _I_ said," Galahad laughed.

Fira stopped paying attention to the infighting of the knights. Instead she looked around and found herself watching Gwaine and Merlin in amusement. Despite the fact that the original Round Table all knew of Merlin's magic now, he still really only felt comfortable drinking around Gwaine, of losing some amount of his control. Fira found it incredibly heartwarming to watch the two of them having fun amidst such a dark time as was war.

Fira stood from the table, assuring her friends she'd be right back. Squeezing around the others proved a small challenge, but once she reached the main area of the Rising Sun it became easier. She walked with purpose to the bar and handed over several gold pieces.

"Wine, please."

The barkeep gave her a funny look but poured a tankard of wine for Fira. The warlock took it gratefully and turned back to her friends.

"Expensive tastes, my dear." Gwaine laughed as he saw her drink.

Fira made a face. "I can't stand the swill you all drink."

Gwaine and Gaheris both laughed long at that. The brothers clinked their tankards and went back to their conversations. Fira returned to her seat. It was going to be a long few hours.


	6. Stolen

The day soon arrived for their patrol. Fira busily packed her medicine bag, threw on her chainmail shirt and cloak, strapped on her dagger and sword, and ran to the stables. She hopped, skipped, and jumped on her way, dodging servants rushing to get food where it needed to go and clean what needed to be cleaned. She almost ran into Merlin.

"You're running late," he called after her. "I saw Gwaine heading to the stables a minute ago."

Fira didn't even respond. She just kept running. She knew she was late, but she felt comfortable with the fact that it rarely happened. When she reached the stables and found everyone mulling about, she muttered apologies.

"You're not that late," Galahad assured her.

Gwaine ordered everyone up. Mark and Michael and Mikhail looked antsy on their horses, and the animals knew it. Before Fira mounted Aland, she whispered to each of the other three horses, assuring them that their riders were competent.

Suddenly she realized that Mark and Michael had no idea of her magic. That would be an interesting conversation later if it were to come up. Hoisting herself onto Aland, she dismissed the frightening thoughts.

Gwaine led the way down the cobble streets out onto the green fields of Camelot. Thus began a two day journey to the border with the Perilous Lands. Gwaine spent most of the time showing the three recruits the paths they took. He explained every decision to them.

Fira smiled as she thought about just how good of a teacher Gwaine was. Having his young brother Gareth to show around had sparked that interest in the knight.

"What are you smiling about?" Galahad asked her in a whisper as they sat around the campfire that night.

Fira, watching as Gwaine sparred for fun with Mark, let her smile grow. "Oh just Gwaine being a good influence."

"Don't let him hear you say that." Galahad chuckled lightly. But he himself smiled as Michael and Gwaine laughed at Mark who fell to the ground, disarmed.

Mikhail sat by himself. He twirled a stick in his hands. Leon and Elyan and Percival sat or lay down, talking quietly. Fira frowned. She found herself pitying Mikhail.

"Mikhail, how is your sister Irina?" She tried her best to sound friendly.

Mikhail shrugged. "She's alright. She misses home. We left over a month ago."

Galahad nodded. "But at least here she has neighbors, right?"

"This is true," said Mikhail. "I know mother prefers it."

Suddenly Fira froze, mid answer. She looked around cautiously. Galahad did the same. She stood from her seat on a log.

Leon noticed the change in the druids immediately. He batted Percival awake from where he'd drifted off, and Elyan stood too. Gwaine, seeing their actions, paused and listened.

"Something's not right." Galahad closed his eyes.

The knights drew their swords. Gwaine pushed his students into the center and Fira joined them. Suddenly a clamor was heard as dozens of Saxons flooded into the campsite. Shouts of anger from both sides filled the air.

"Michael! Mark!" Fira hissed. "There's something you need to know."

"Is this really the time?" Mark bit back.

Fira hesitated. "I have magic."

Mark and Michael froze. Fira, bursting forth from between the knights, headed towards the magical presence she felt. The ambush was definitely being commanded by a sorcerer.

The Saxons didn't pose too much of a problem for the knights, but all three recruits sustained cuts and bruises. Gwaine defended them best he could before ordering them around.

"All three of you! Get the horses to safety and find cover." He shouted forcefully. "Then stay there and treat those wounds!"

Meanwhile Fira found the source of the magic. A man, robed in browns and of older face stood wielding a brown wooden staff. A chill coursed through her when their eyes met.

Leon ran towards her to lend support. He had seen Gwaine forcing the recruits back into safer ground. They all needed to regroup there to be safest.

"Fira!" Leon shouted at her as she stood face to face with the commander of Morgana's ambush. "Come on, we need to move!"

"Go. I'll catch up!" Fira looked back for a moment but then formed in her hand a ball of fire. "Edwylm!"

The fireball struck a Saxon who jumped in front to save their leader. It gave the commander just enough time to enact his plan. He lifted his staff and a concussive blast rocked the air. Fira stumbled and fell to her knees, her nose bleeding and her ears ringing. Flat on her stomach she went, and Leon screamed again in anger. He began to run towards her.

But the priest of the Old Religion lifted his arms and spoke an ancient word. A wall of burning flames formed between Fira and the knights.

The flames roared high, separating the knights from their protectoress. Her dark hair was filled with dirt and leaves as she lay on the ground unconscious from the concussive blast caused by Morgana's sorcerer. Blood spilled down her forehead from where she'd hit a stone, staining the earth.

Gwaine looked on through the fire in horror as the man robed in browns approached Fira's limp body. He could barely see past the wall of flames and smoke that contaminated the air. He stood, stunned. Gwaine was at a complete loss.

Beside him, Percival ran up. He had finished off the last remaining mercenaries. Elyan followed him. Together the four Knights of the Round Table stood, watching in horror as Fira's unconscious body was lifted up and taken from them.

"We have to do something," Gwaine shouted, running closer to the flames. His eyes burned.

Leon grabbed him. "Stop, Gwaine! You'll get yourself killed."

"Morgana will _kill_ her," Gwaine argued angrily. "We can't let that happen."

Elyan sighed and looked around. "Maybe Merlin can help? He'll know how to get her back if anyone will."

"We can't just leave her," Gwaine pleaded. When he was met with resigned faces in Elyan and Leon, he turned to his best friend. "Perce?"

Percival had been watching as the sorcerer stole away with Fira, his fists and jaw clenched in anger. "We can't do anything, Gwaine. We need Arthur and Merlin." He turned away and walked to see if he could find the others. Suddenly he spoke up again. "Anyone seen Galahad?"

The knights whipped around. They just noticed the other Knight of the Round Table was missing.

"Galahad?!" Gwaine shouted immediately. He had already lost one good friend today, he would _not_ lose another.

There was no answer to Gwaine's pleading shout. The four knights split up and searched the ground. Corpses were everywhere. Now that they'd tended to their wounds, Michael, Mark, and Mikhail joined in the search.

Leon gave a shout. "He's here!"

They found Galahad lying on the ground unconscious. His nose was bleeding and he had a sword wound on his left arm. Gwaine shouted for Michael to bring the medical supplies.

"Here!" The young man handed Gwaine the supplies before stepping away, anxiously chewing at a fingernail.

His brother, Mark, stepped close to him as everyone watched Gwaine treat Galahad. It had been a long time since they'd had to treat any wounds without magic to help. Mikhail stared down at Galahad and then back to the flames that had yet to begin dissipating. The fire stayed exactly as it had before.

"Where's…" he turned from the flames back to the other knights. "Where's Fira?"

"Taken," Elyan told him with a sigh. He put his hand on Mikhail's shoulder. "We need to get back to Camelot."

Mikhail nodded and went to find the horses where they'd been stashed. Percival caught up with him. He was one of the few people Aland knew and trusted.

When they approached the horses, Aland seemed to know something was wrong. He reared and reared, pulling at the lead rope that was tied to a tree. The horse screamed and kicked, trying to get free.

Percival ran over. "Woah there, Aland." He put his arms out and the horse began to calm, but not before he had pulled himself free of the tree. Percival tried to catch the lead rope. "Aland, come here."

"You talk to him as though he understands you," Mikhail shook his head, undoing Gringolet and Luagor and Lamri. "He's a horse who smells smoke."

Percival laughed without humor. "No, Mikhail. He's a horse who knows he lost his friend."


	7. Traitor

After riding through that night, the group took a rest at dawn. They remained quiet most of the time, but when Gwaine and Leon took first watch, the former broke. He seethed in anger, twirling his sword to occupy time. While the other slept, he paced.

Leon finally whispered to him. "You're going to hurt yourself swinging that."

"How did they know?" Gwaine turned around, not heeding Leon's warning. "How did Morgana know we were coming?"

Leon sighed and stood too. "I don't know. I've been giving it a lot of thought."

"It was a well planned, targeted ambush." Gwaine sheathed his sword and leaned against the nearest tree. "It's only goal was to get Fira."

The other knight nodded in agreement. After a pause, he finally shrugged. He had no idea. "The only people who knew about this patrol were the knights, Merlin, and the Queen. Only the Round Table knew the specifics."

"Morgana has to have a spy in Camelot," Gwaine said with a glare.

"I know." Leon frowned. "But who?"

* * *

The day dawned bright in Camelot City. The Citadel bustled with the usual hum of activity, a living, breathing community of servants running to and fro. In the kitchen, a woman of eighteen years found the tray destined for the Queen of Camelot.

She picked it up quickly, letting her eyes dare the rambunctious male servants to get in her way. She could deal with them later if they tried anything, and she didn't even need her magic to help. The young woman made her way to the Royal Chambers. Once she reached the door, she knocked before entering. Coming behind her ran the man named Merlin, her male counterpart. He scooted inside with the King's breakfast right behind her.

"Good morning, my lady." She smiled with a bow as Merlin dropped his food on the table. She much more gracefully deposited hers.

She looked at the the monarchs. Hatred boiled up inside her heart. She forced her eyes to betray no unwelcome emotions, putting on a facade of kindliness.

She couldn't decide which ruler she despised more. Probably the King. The Pendragon king, usurper of her Lady's throne, was detestable. He deserved the same treatment her own kind had gotten: execution for being himself. Just the name Pendragon should've meant death for him.

 _No matter_ , she thought. _At least I have done a service to the Lady by betraying the knights._

Everyone in Camelot was an enemy. She wasn't sure why the Fira woman, the girl who was the Physician's assistant, was necessary for the war effort. But Morgana had asked for her. And getting the Knights of the famous Round Table destroyed in an ambush at the same time, well, it was simply delightful.

The Queen smiled back at her. "Good morning, Kara."

* * *

By noon they got moving again. It was then that the question the knights had waited for finally came up.

Mark broached the topic first. "You knew?"

"Knew what?" Galahad faked as the horses trotted during a rest.

"That Fira practices magic!" Michael burst out.

Elyan nodded. "About a quarter of the knights know. We all know, as do Sirs Mordred, Gareth, Gaheris Tor, Morholt, Tristan, and Bedivere."

Percival jumped in, "The King and Queen both know, as do Merlin and Gaius."

The twins fell silent in shock. They grew up during the years following the Great Purge. All they knew was a hatred for magic.

"Why does she still live?" Mark asked innocently. "Surely the King himself would execute her."

Gwaine dropped back to them. He shook his head. "It's a long story for how we got to this point, but her job is to help us against Morgana."

"You need magic to fight magic," Michael reasoned with a nod.

"Exactly," Gwaine agreed quickly.

They urged the horses faster again. Into a brisk canter they went, speeding across the fields and through small forest outliers. Gwaine and Leon led always, pushing harder and faster until they finally reached Camelot around midnight. They'd skipped dinner.

The knights asked the three recruits to deal with the horses. They needed to find the King. Gwaine flagged down a servant and ordered him to find Merlin and send him to the King's quarters. The knights rushed up the citadel and to that very place.

Leon knocked forcefully on the door. He felt a little guilty for waking his king and queen at such an early hour, but they had no choice. When a tired Guinevere opened the door, she started in confusion.

"You aren't due back for days!"

From inside, Arthur muttered something inaudible. But Gwen snapped at her husband in fright. He was awake instantly.

"Enter!"

The knights rushed inside, followed by Merlin who caught up to them just as the door closed. He used his magic to instantly light all the candles in the room. Now they had light.

"Where's Fira?" Merlin demanded. "Surely she should be here."

Leon looked to Gwaine. But the man just looked forlorn. The former spoke quietly.

"We were ambushed, sire." He directed his response at his king. "Morgana knew our plans."

"Where's Fira?" Guinevere whispered in fright.

Gwaine glared at the floor. "Taken. They were after her in particular."

Galahad quickly chipped in some more information, aiming it at Merlin as well as the monarchs. "The spell their sorcerer used to knock her out was aimed to knock any with magic out. Including myself. Very potent."

"She's gone?" Merlin looked destroyed. Fira was like a sister to him, and the only one who truly understood his struggles. "Is she dead?"

Leon shrugged. "We don't know. We were unable to go after them."

Arthur, who had remained silent thus far, stood from his bed. "You do realize what this means."

"There's a traitor in Camelot," Gwaine spat. "Someone close to us."

"It has to be someone who has a reason to hate us," Elyan sighed. "Who would that be?"

Merlin's face went white. He thought he knew. But if he betrayed her, he betrayed _him._ And that was dangerous.

"Merlin," Gwaine warned. "You know something?"

"What do we know of Kara," he murmured softly.

Gwen stood in shock. "My maidservant? She's a wonderful girl! Very smart and knows when to put boys in their place."

"She's also Mordred's lover," Gwaine added quickly. "Why?"

"She was in here." Merlin sighed and looked at Arthur. "When you gave the orders."

The others straightened up. They hadn't thought of that. Gwaine suddenly didn't like where this was going. He'd not wanted it to be someone any of them cared for.

"And," the warlock paused. "She practices magic. She was a druid, her entire clan wiped out by Uther."

Arthur put his head in his hands. That certainly was a motive. He closed his eyes and breathed deeply. Sentencing one of his knight's lovers to death was not something he wanted to do.

"Elyan, Percival, arrest her." He stood up more fully. "Galahad, find Mordred and bring him to me." Arthur turned to Gwaine. "The only request I have of you tonight… don't drink yourself to death."

Gwaine nodded. "Don't worry about me Princess. Worry about the traitor."

Gwaine turned and left the room after the other three. That left Leon, Merlin, Arthur, and Gwen. The king turned to the other men.

"I need the two of you to search Kara's room. Look for anything suspicious. We need to get to the bottom of this." He frowned. "We need this over fast."

Merlin spoke up quietly. "What about Fira?"

What about Fira? Arthur didn't know. He wanted to send men after her, mount a rescue. But they remained hard pressed on both borders as it was. And now that they knew a spy was in the citadel, the king felt concern that there might be others.

"I'll think on it."


	8. Uncovering the Truth

Mordred confusedly walked with Galahad to the King's chambers. The hour was early in the morning, nearing dawn. Galahad refused to explain the purpose of the summoning. Mordred remained quiet, a sense of foreboding growing in his heart. Especially as he could almost feel the anger wafting off his companion.

Galahad knocked on the door to Arthur's quarters. Gwen opened it quickly before standing away to let them in. Mordred found Arthur dressed and sitting at his desk, face drawn tensely.

"Sire?" Mordred looked at him carefully. "What do you require of me?"

Arthur looked up from his maps and sighed. He stood, walking over to Mordred. He moved as though a great weight fell on his shoulders.

"Kara has been accused of treason," Arthur said, drawing himself up.

Mordred felt as though he'd been punched in the chest. "What?"

The king began to explain. "Gwaine, Leon, Elyan, Percival, and Fira led a patrol of recruits to the border near the Perilous Lands. There they were ambushed and Fira kidnapped. It was clearly well organized."

"Why do you think Kara had anything to do with this?" Mordred angrily drew himself up taller.

"She is the only other person to have known about the ambush." Arthur paced. "Do you deny that she is a druid with a past hatred for Camelot?"

Mordred stood fuming. "I do not."

"Do you deny she practices magic?"

"Who told you," Mordred asked quietly.

Arthur shook his head. "That is unimportant. Right now, Kara is being held for questioning and her room is being searched." He paused, sighing, and looked at Mordred. "If she is found guilty of either charge, she will be executed."

Mordred stood, his face flushed in a rare moment of outward emotion. He knelt before his king. His eyes watered.

"Please, my lord. Exile her, do not execute her." He looked at Arthur sadly. "She has suffered enough in her life."

Arthur gazed upon the young man before him. He liked Mordred. He was a good man. But there was no option. "We are at war, Mordred. If she is found guilty, the laws are clear. I have no choice."

Mordred's eyes hardened. "There is always a choice."

Arthur sighed. "I'm sorry. I know you love her. You may go see her if you wish."

Mordred stood and nodded. He left with a bow, speeding out of the room and down the halls to the dungeons. He took a candle stick with him for light and rushed past Elyan who was leaving. They spoke no words, though Elyan longed to comfort the young knight.

"Kara," Mordred whispered in sadness as he saw his beloved sitting against the cold, stone back wall of a cell.

Kara's face lit up. "Mordred!" She stood and ran forward, grabbing his hands through the bars.

"I will get you out of here," he hissed, raising his hand to cast a spell.

But Kara shook her head. "Leave me here. I will show everyone how unfair the current laws are. If I must die to do that, then I will."

"No," Mordred quietly whimpered. "You can't."

Kara smiled sadly. She squeezed his hands. "I must. Maybe one day magic will be free because of this."

"Arthur will never allow magic to be free," Mordred spat angrily. "He is using magic users while suppressing their very existence. He will not free us."

"Then help Morgana. She wants to save our people," Kara insisted, her voice a whisper. "There's a spell I use, it summons her bird messengers." She leaned in to Mordred and spoke it in a hush.

Meanwhile, in Kara's room, Leon and Merlin dug through letters. The we're all addressed by one "D". Leon instantly grew suspicious.

"When we found the letter on the Battlemage, it was addressed to Morgana from "D"," Leon reminded Merlin.

The warlock nodded. He remembered that. Things were not looking good for the serving girl. Especially when Merlin found a false panel on the floor. As he drew it back, Leon turned to watch. A sigh escaped Merlin's lips.

"Books of sorcery, several enchanted pendants, a poison or two," he listed off the contraband calmly, though his voice was laced with pity. "And these spell books are not for healing spells, these are for bending people's wills."

"Sinister," Leon muttered as he drew out a book and looked at the cover. "We certainly have enough evidence to convict her of sorcery and conspiring against the crown."

"I wish we could prove she was in league with Morgana instead." Merlin frowned. He didn't want to see another execution because of magic. "Plain, simple treason would be nice."

"I'm sure she burns all messages from Morgana," Leon reminded him. "I know you probably aren't comfortable with another sorcery execution, but she deserves death whatever the charge."

Merlin nodded. "I know."

The sun rose as Leon and Merlin carefully carried the evidence of sorcery to the King's chambers. They found Arthur at his desk, Gwen serving him and herself an early breakfast. The King looked up upon their entrance.

"She certainly practiced magic," Leon explained as Merlin placed the contraband on the other end of the dining table. "And we suspect the person in these letters to be Morgana's right hand."

Arthur nodded. "Then set the execution for noon."

Leon nodded and went to oversee the preparations. He found Galahad and Gwaine outside, walking through the courtyard to the practice yard. With them went Gaheris and Gareth. Leon was relieved to see neither knight was drunk.

In fact, Galahad, Gwaine, and his brothers were heading to spar. It had been Gaheris' idea. They all agreed it to be a good one. When they reached an open space in the field, surrounded by training recruits, Gaheris spoke up.

"You ready to face me, Gwaine?" He smirked. "Think you can win?"

Gwaine shook his head and paused. Then he laughed. "I know I can win."

With both confident knights ready, Galahad gave them the go ahead. Once the two older sons of Morcades began their fight, Galahad turned to Gareth. He asked if he was ready.

"Whenever you are," smiled the young man.

Galahad brought his sword up. Gareth blocked the first hit before trying to land his own on the other young knight. Both groups went on like this for nearly an hour.

Gaheris and Gwaine matched up nearly evenly. Gwaine won once more than Gaheris, but in the end both panted hard and needed food and water. Gareth similarly impressed Galahad with his skill. They hadn't trained against each other in a long while, so Galahad was surprised when Gareth came at him furiously. It was _clear_ from his style that Gwaine had been training him.

Upon ending their sparring practice, Gwaine told them he was going to go speak to Merlin. They bid him farewell as Gwaine walked away feeling only slightly better. A tremendous guilt still lay on his shoulders. He had been in command of their patrol. Fira's life, like everyone else's, had lain in his hands.

Gwaine, sweating profusely from training in the summer sun, grabbed a towel as he exited the armory. He rubbed his face and neck before tossing it into a pile of dirty laundry along the way to the physician chambers. He knocked when he reached the door.

Gaius opened it. The man looked worn down, but smiled when he saw the knight. "Come on in. Merlin's changing."

Gwaine nodded. "Thanks Gaius."

"Merlin, Sir Gwaine's here." Gaius shouted further inside as he himself went to finish his brunch.

A muffled response sounded before Merlin tumbled out of his backroom, still pulling his shirt over his head. He fastened on the neckerchief he always wore as he stood straighter.

"What's up?" Merlin asked him quickly.

Gwaine paused and then laughed. "You look silly."

Merlin made a face. "Why are you here, Gwaine? Did you hurt yourself? Maybe your head?"

Gwaine's face fell and Merlin instantly regretted his words. Merlin went over to the bowl of fruit they kept and held up an apple. He tossed it to the Knight.

"You look tired and hungry. Eat it."

Gwaine rolled his eyes but thanked him. Then he sat down in the patient's cot and faced the two men in the room.

"I wanted to apologize," Gwaine started quietly, head down.

"Now I know there's something wrong," Merlin tried to quip, hoping to get a funny reaction out of his friend.

But Gwaine shook his head. "I was in charge of that patrol. I made the decision in the end not to mount a rescue."

Merlin nodded. "And it's a good thing you did, too. Who knows how powerful the sorcerer was? It could've gotten you _all_ killed. And we don't even know if Fira's dead."

Gwaine shuddered. "I hope she is, for her sake. Who knows what kind of horrible fate awaits her with Morgana?"

* * *

Fira groaned as she was kicked violently awake. Her hands, tied tightly together by enchanted ropes, flew to her face to protect herself from the blows that rained down. She let out a pained shout as a kick collided directly with her head. The man left her be, satisfied that she was awake.

She listened as the Saxon soldier approached their leader.

"How much farther?"

"We should be at the castle by midnight."

Fira shivered. Her body was weakened from the nonexistent amount of food and water her captors dispensed. She was dragged along the back of the cart, no way to escape and fully reliant on the whims of the men around her.

So she didn't feel at all surprised when half way through this third day of travel, she stumbled and couldn't get up. The cart dragged her for a moment before halting.

"Fifteen lashes for the witch," the lead Saxon decided. "Maybe that'll inspire her to stand."

The Sorcerer leading the expedition didn't object. He remained quiet most of the time, and this instance was no different. Fira looked up in fear as the head Saxon jumped down from the cart with his whip. It had tiny spikes along the ends.

Fira was lifted up off the ground and forced to her knees. She trembled in anger and fear. Her knees hurt already from holding her body weight up.

"Hold this," the man ordered. He handed the whip to another Saxon. He marched forward, drawing a knife. "You're hair is in the way, beauty."

With several cuts, he removed the majority of Fira's hair until it came to just above her shoulders raggedly. He pulled her shirt up over her head. Now had a clear shot of her back.

She tried to curl into herself with the first strike. As the spiky whip made contact with her bare skin, a cry escaped her lips. Fourteen more landed. By the end, Fira was ready to curl up in a ball and sob. But she couldn't. They had to march.


	9. Execution at Noon

_A/N: Make sure you read chapter 8 as FFN didn't alert anyone to its update yesterday._

* * *

Kara stood, head high, waiting to be escorted to her death. She smiled. Mordred stood with the knights far ahead of her out in the square. She nodded to him from where she waited.

Gwaine and Galahad, the two knights who stood to either side of her, tried not to pay her any mind. On the inside both seethed with anger. They had volunteered to escort Kara to the noose. There was no pity in either of their hearts for her, only for Mordred. For his sake they were truly sorry.

Gwaine watched the King from where he stood on the balcony with Guinevere. Merlin stood below them in the square. Arthur's expression was one of solemn sadness. Gwaine traced Arthur's gaze to Mordred. The knight stood still as stone, his eyes on the noose before him.

Arthur nodded to Gwaine and Galahad. The former nudged Kara forward and onward she went, never breaking eye contact with the King above her. The king began to speak.

"The woman before you is convicted of two crimes, both punishable by death. Kara, it has been determined that you knowingly passed information to enemies of Camelot which resulted in the kidnapping of a citizen of Camelot." Arthur stopped. "Do you deny it?"

"No."

Arthur raised a hand to silence the murmuring crowd that had gathered. Gwaine tightened his grip on Kara's arm. He had to keep his rage under control. She would be fairly punished for her crimes.

King Arthur nodded. "Along with this crime, you have also been accused of practicing sorcery. Do you deny it?"

"No."

With a sigh the king nodded. "You have the right to speak any last words."

Kara look at the King and then glanced at Merlin before returning to Arthur. She drew herself up, though she trembled.

"I die today because I dare to stand up for my people. I dare to fight for my right to exist. Magic is not evil, magic is a gift. There are others like me who will not stand by and be persecuted any longer. Lady Morgana has promised us a place in the world. If any deserve death, it is you, the false king. You deserve to die for your crimes, Arthur Pendragon."

The King nodded to Gwaine and Galahad. Both knights moved her forward and she climbed the steps to the gallows. Gwaine and Galahad stood at the bottom, their jobs complete.

As Kara stepped forward, her eyes met Mordred's. She sent him a telepathic plea _. "You know what to do."_

Mordred gave an imperceptible nod. He knew what to do. He would use his place in the Round Table of Camelot to gather information to bring the kingdom to its knees. Arthur would regret his decision before the end.

The executioner roughly stuck Kara's head into the noose and tightened it. He looked to the king. After a moment's hesitation, Arthur nodded his approval. The executioner pulled his lever.

Kara's neck snapped.

Mordred's heart broke.

"Let her death serve as a warning to any who would betray Camelot in this hour of war," Arthur spoke loudly. "Lady Morgana is a traitor of the highest order, and any who collaborate with her are guilty of treason."

The townsfolk dispersed. Gwaine and Galahad joined the other knights while several servants cleared the body and scaffolding of the gallows from the square. Mordred was nowhere to be found. Merlin, concerned for the knight, brought it up with Galahad as they walked inside the citadel.

"Give him time," the knight shook his head. "Mordred is a good man. He'll be fine."

Merlin looked skeptical but agreed to bide his time. The Round Table knights, having been up for over twenty four hours without rest, all retreated to their chambers for baths and sleep. Many of them slept straight through to the next morning.

Mordred, late that night, sat in his chambers. In his hand was a letter written in the language of the Old Religion. He had composed it to his one-time ally Morgana.

" _My dear lady,_

 _I ask first for your forgiveness for my trespasses against you. I was blinded by the joy I once felt in my friendship with Fira. I allowed it to cloud my judgement about Camelot. However Arthur Pendragon has shown me his true colors, and the knights also. I wish to help you once more._

 _Kara was executed today. I will take her place as your spy in Camelot. I do not expect you to take me back as your friend, but I will be an asset and an ally._

 _Yours,_

 _Mordred."_

Mordred went to the window of his bedroom. He opened it. He whispered the spell Kara had taught him and within moments a large crow landed. He tied the message to the crow's foot.

"Fléon."

The crow flapped its wings and flew off into the night. Mordred closed his window and retreated to the bed. He looked to the sheets. On the comforter was a necklace. Kara's necklace. He took it in his hands and held it to his chest. He began to cry.

* * *

It was past midnight when the caravan reached Morgana's southern castle. Deep in the Perilous Lands, far from the Castle of the Fisher King, it stood tall and black against the already dark night sky. Fira fell to her knees in exhaustion as they transferred her to several soldiers inside the keep.

A soldier forced her to drink a concoction of strange elixirs. It smelled and tasted horrible, so bad she almost threw it up. But her energy was revitalized after a moment.

"You almost killed her, you idiots," a man scolded the caravan leader. "It was capture, not kill!"

"She's still alive, ain't she?!"

The sorcerer who had caught her shook his head. "No thanks to you."

"Oh and you helped?" The Saxon rolled his eyes. "You're a priest of the Lady. Surely you could've done more than simply capturing her."

The world went black as the sorcerer touched her forehead and breathed a spell.

The room she woke in was dark, almost claustrophobic in how low the ceiling was. In the center were four chains connected to the dark slate floor. Fira was strapped down by the chains, the metal shackles digging into her skin and causing her to bleed.

Around the room sat thirteen priests of Morgana. The priests were clothed in browns and whites, sitting cross-legged with palms upturned in prayer. They remained perfectly still, unperturbed by the scene in the center.

She screamed and thrashed against the bonds. Fira had been restrained once before in her life, by bandits, and she would not lay down and accept her fate this time. Her magic was suppressed by the enchanted chains but she was not going to be easy prey.

"Where is Morgana!" She spat in anger. "Le Fay! Do you not have the guts to see me in person!"

The door opened and the one she had asked about came forward. She was clothed in blacks, and her hair was a mess but somehow it suited her. Fira watched her from where she was restrained on her back, fear mounting in her as the High Priestess smiled.

"You asked for me, Nyx?" Morgana knelt down. "This could go so much easier you know."

Fira snarled and tried to break free again. "I won't join you, Morgana. Ever."

"Oh but there's where you're wrong, Fira." The older woman caressed her cheek gently. "You will. You will." Morgana stood and walked backwards. Her eyes flashed gold.

Fira writhed in pain as a fire spread through her veins. She thrashed against the shackles viciously.

"You will crawl on your belly like a worm, Fira," Morgana hissed venomously. "I will burn you to the ground."

Fira screamed in agony again, her body shaking in pain, convulsing. She cried out for her friends.

"Your choice to oppose me has sealed your fate." Morgana narrowed her eyes. "You will be mine soon enough."


	10. Necromancy

_A/N: Just a friendly reminder, this is an AU where Lancelot never returned. That part of Le Morte was not done justice._

* * *

 _"Now I have warned thee [Lancelot] of thy vain glory and of thy pride."_

 _\- Le Morte D'Arthur_

* * *

A red dawn greeted the citizens of Camelot the morning after Kara's execution. For the superstitious, this boded ill for days to come. But Gwaine never put much stock in superstition.

"Merlin!" Gwaine called out to his friend as he caught the servant delivering Arthur's breakfast.

Merlin glanced back but kept walking. "I have to get this to the king!"

Gwaine rolled his eyes but nodded. He jogged to catch up with him. A few moments later, as they walked quickly to the King's chambers, Galahad and Leon joined them.

"Are we all going to see the king?" Gwaine laughed. "He won't know what hit him."

Leon gave a short laugh. "Elyan and Percival would be here but they're at training. Which is where you should be, Gwaine."

"What about Galahad?!" Gwaine slapped the young man on the back.

Leon rolled his eyes. "I already told him the same thing."

Galahad merely smirked. The four men finally reached the royal quarters and Merlin opened the door.

"Good morning!" He marched inside and placed the food trays on the table with a clang. But to his surprise, both monarchs were up and dressed. "You're dressed?"

"I can help with some things, Merlin," Gwen laughed lightly.

Arthur went to object from where he sat at his desk before noticing the knights. He sighed."Shouldn't you be training?"

"We had other matters to bring up," Leon said, hesitating. "What are we going to do about Fira, sire?"

Arthur beckoned for everyone to come to his desk. "I've been giving that a lot of thought. And I'm not sure how much we _can_ do." He gestured to a point on the map. "This is where you were ambushed. We don't know anything about where in the Perilous Lands Morgana has a base. The tracks would be nearly a week old by now, and probably gone."

"We can't just give up," Galahad objected quietly. "She wouldn't give up on us."

"She wouldn't want you risking your lives for her, either." Merlin frowned. "If anyone goes after them, it needs to be me."

They all looked at Merlin in surprise. Gwaine shook his head and placed a hand on Merlin's shoulder.

He spoke quickly. "She wouldn't want you to leave Camelot unprotected either, mate. We're expendable, you're not."

Guinevere shook her head, hands on her hips. "You are _not_ expendable, Sir Gwaine. None of you are."

"Thanks," he winked. Then he grew somber again. "So who's going after her?"

Merlin frowned. "Gwaine. She's probably dead already."

"Morgana would kill her if she couldn't sway her," Arthur agreed. "Morgana might even kill her without trying to get her to switch sides at all."

"Isn't there some kind of magic to see where she is?" Leon looked at Merlin.

The warlock sighed. "Perhaps? But not without letting everyone in Camelot know I have magic. Those spells tend to take a lot of power and time. I'd be caught before the end."

"So we're saying there's nothing to be done?" Gwaine looked around at the others gathered there. "We're just going to lay down, tails between our legs, while Morgana kills Fira?"

Shaking his head, Arthur finally replied after several moments of silence. "It's the best for Camelot. And that is what Fira would have us do."

Gwaine's face contorted, rage in his eyes. But he knew Arthur was right. Fira wouldn't want them to put the future of Camelot at risk. Then again, he knew Fira definitely did _not_ want to die. She'd said it multiple times before battle. And who did?

"Whatever you say," Gwaine nodded, trying to keep the sarcasm out of his voice. "I suppose we have training to get to."

The others nodded and all three knights left the room. Merlin, Arthur, and Gwen stood quietly, each lost in thought.

"Are we doing the right thing?" Gwen finally asked, voice hushed.

Merlin and Arthur exchanged glances. The warlock shrugged sadly. He didn't know at this point. At the same time, Arthur tried to put on a brave, sure face for his wife.

"Yes." He nodded firmly. "This is war."

* * *

Morgana stood in her chambers at the top of a tall tower in her castle at the Perilous Lands. She preferred the view from Dunnottar in the North, but this one satisfied her needs well enough. She looked out the window down at her army. Saxons swarmed all over the ground below, and sorcerers trained apprentices in and around them.

Suddenly a crow, large and black as night, landed in front of her. Morgana cocked her head in confusion before noticing the note tied to its leg.

"Took you long enough, Kara." She undid the note.

Her mouth formed a smile as she reached the end of the letter. Kara was gone, but she had Mordred back. That was worth losing a serving girl. Mordred's magic would aid her in her quest to rid the world of the Pendragon king.

She turned to her books again, at a table nearby. Her preparations for the necromantic ritual were almost complete. She poured over the spell tome. Ancient symbols and texts decorated the pages in intricate designs. Tonight she would perform the spell. Tonight stage two of her plan would begin.

And indeed, as the moon rose in the sky and night fell, Morgana silently walked to the basement of the castle. Five priests came with her, the other thirteen busy with Fira. But she only needed five for this spell.

When she reached the circular room, a man tied to a post in the center struggled against his bonds. Morgana flashed him a mock frown. To the side lay a red cloak of the knights of Camelot. The high priestess walked up to him.

"Take heart, knight of Camelot." She bent to his level. "Your death will bring back one of your own."

The knight spat in her face. The priest who stood beside her slapped him viciously, sending the knight wincing to the side. But Morgana merely smiled.

"Prepare the ritual."

The five priests joined hands and surrounded the man. Morgana stood inside them also, watching the knight, eyes gleaming with intense interest. In her hand was the trust dagger she always carried. As they chanted, she began incanting her part of the ritual. The words of the Old Religion spilled off her tongue effortlessly.

The room began to shake. The knight in the center blanched in terror as Morgana raised her dagger and, while her eyes gleamed gold, sliced the Knight's throat. She held his head so the blood sprayed onto the cold stone floor. In the floor were ruts to collect blood.

"Árísan Lancelot! Árísan!"

She spoke the final spell. Out of the pool of blood formed a body. It dripped blood, but soon it clearly became the body of the fallen Knight of the Round Table. He opened his eyes and turned to face the witch.

Lancelot looked at her closely. "What is your bidding?"

Morgana gave a sickly smile. "End the marriage of Guinevere Pendragon."

"It will be done."


	11. Nyx

She was emotionally exhausted. She was in agonizing pain. She was beaten and burned. The chains that held Fira fast to the slate floor had so dug into her wrists and ankles that she was beginning to lose feeling in her appendages.

Fira wasn't sure how many days had passed. She figured at least five. The whole time she had been held down and given only a little water, enough to keep her alive. Morgana had not been seen since the first night, but the thirteen priests had been there the entire time. She had no energy to struggle. All she felt was pain. She could hardly keep her eyes open now.

Fira wondered not for the first time where Merlin was. Why hadn't he come help? Or the knights? Surely they would try to get her out. Didn't they owe her that after these couple years of working together?

Suddenly the stone door shifted open. Fira struggled to lift her head, to see who had entered.

"Hello Fira," Morgana said, smiling. "I hope you aren't too uncomfortable."

Fira remained silent, letting her eyes do the talking as she glared daggers at the High Priestess. Her throat felt too dry, parched from days with only a little water, so she could not form words.

Morgana frowned. "Don't worry, my dear. This is almost over." In her hand she held a red stone, about the size of a coin. She knelt down beside Fira's head and spoke. "This is a Heart Stone. It fuses with a person's body through the blood streams, and makes them compliant. There is no way to remove it."

Fira shifted in fear. The teenager looked up at the woman and for the first time understood there was no rescue coming. She was completely and totally alone.

Morgana drew a knife. She began to chant something in the language of the Old Religion. Alongside her, the priests joined in by speaking a single word: "Cwéman."

 _Comply._

Morgana grabbed Fira's right hand. The girl tried to resist but found she lacked the strength. Continuing her chant, the older woman took the knife and sliced Fira's palm open.

She screamed in agony. Morgana plunged the red stone, now glowing fiercely, into the slit in Fira's hand. She writhed in pain, tearing at the chains in a last, desperate, futile attempt to free herself.

Morgana's eyes flashed gold and she spoke the final word. "Cwéman."

Fira felt her veins constricting. A fire ripped through her body, starting from her palm. She looked down at herself and saw scars forming on her body over the veins.

The world went black.

Fira opened her eyes. She sat in the center of a circular room, chains lying around her but not touching her. A woman she identified as Morgana sat in front of her, a kindly expression on her face.

Anger coursed through her. She didn't know why, but a rage so vicious and full of vitriolic hatred consumed her being. With great effort she formed words.

"Where am I?"

Morgana gave her a pitying smile. "Castle Volkihar. It's in the Perilous Lands."

"Why am I here?"

"I sent for you. I need you to understand what I have gone through, what others of our kind go through every day." Morgana held out her hand. "Let me show you."

Fira didn't protest, and indeed took the woman's hand. Morgana's eyes flashed gold and images began to fill Fira's mind. Execution after execution, children living in fear that their parents might be next, widows raped by soldiers after convictions of sorcery. Fira's rage only increased.

"That is what the Pendragons have done to us," Morgana hissed furiously. "Man, woman, and child, burned or drowned or hung because of a gift they want to explore."

Fira thought about Arthur. Had he ever cared for her? Not really. He'd used her to protect himself, knowing full well if she was caught, death awaited her. Quite a nice set up for the king. And the knights went along with it too. They had someone to keep them safe now.

"He deserves death," Fira growled, thinking about the many who suffered under Pendragon rule.

Morgana smiled in glee. It had worked. The stone had worked. "Indeed he does. But first I need some information."

"Anything, my lady."

"Who is Emrys?"

Fira hesitated, though she didn't know why.

"It's alright," Morgana soothed. "You can tell me."

"Merlin is Emrys."

Morgana's eyes widened like saucers. Her lips trembled in such a rage that Fira actually leaned away from her. The Lady stood and screamed in fury.

"Merlin is Emrys?" She clenched her fists tight. "Merlin?!"

Fira nodded. "Yes."

Morgana reigned herself under control. "Well then. I suppose we'll have to inconvenience him somehow."

"What did you have in mind?" Fira stood and followed Morgana side by side out of the cold stone room. She looked at her clothes which were bloody and torn. "Also, might I have a change of clothes?"

Morgana chuckled. "Of course, Nyx."

Fira flashed a sickly smile at the name. "Indeed I am Nyx. Fira is dead."

Morgana gestured for Fira to follow her up some stairs. The didn't miss the glares and glances being sent her way by the Saxons. She didn't care. They were weak, pathetic. They were fodder. She walked into a set of chambers which Morgana told her would be hers.

"There is a special outfit for you here." Morgana gestured to the armoire. "Change into it and meet me down in the main hall."

"Yes, my lady." Fira nodded and closed the door.

She opened the armoire and found a tunic and pants set. All black, with an attached hood to cover her hair and face, it was made of some kind of thin material. Fira put it on, strapped on her black boots, and found some black gloves. She turned around and found herself face to face with a mirror.

What she saw amazed her. No longer were her eyes green, but now the irises were bright red.

 _Red eyes._

Fira shook her head as memories from what felt like ages ago flooded her mind. Something about a White Stag.

" _Beware what you will become."_

Short hair reached only to her shoulders in a ragged line, cut roughly by a knife on her way to Castle Volkihar. It really amazed her how much she changed.

Fira tore herself away from the mirror. She walked to the door and took the stairs back down to the Hall. There she found Morgana speaking with man, tall and older, with white hair and grey eyes. Fira walked up to them.

"Welcome, Nyx," bowed the man upon her arrival. "It is an honor to meet you. I am Elden."

"Hello." Fira nodded to him before turning to Morgana. "You wanted me again?"

"Ah yes. Elden, Nyx, let us take a walk." Morgana grinned menacingly. "There is someone who needs to meet you."

The two followed Morgana down a side passage and into a small room. In the room they found a chair, and on the chair sat a man clothed in greens and browns. His brown hair fell unkempt about his head. He smiled at them, and it was kindly.

"Nyx, Elden, this is Sir Lancelot."

Fira opened her eyes wide. She turned to Morgana. "Lancelot is dead."

Elden smiled. "Not any more."

Lancelot stood and approached them. "So you are Nyx. What a pleasure to meet you." He bowed and took her hand, kissing it out of respect.

"Nyx," Morgana began, "I need you to shadow Lancelot on his return to Camelot. Stay hidden, but kill as many of the good for nothing knights as you can." Her voice grew more and more excited as she spoke. "Lancelot has a different task. Do not speak to each other when in Camelot. Nyx you are to remain secret."

Fira nodded with a smile. "Sounds like fun."


	12. Return of Friends or Foes

It was ten days after the knights agreed to assume Fira's death. Two days previous, the knights had held a private ceremony in Gaius' chambers, nothing ornate, and lit a candle for her since they could not burn a pyre in her honor for her sacrifice. Now they struggled to fall back into their regular activities.

"Faster!" Gwaine ordered his recruits. "Come on, Mark. You're better than that!"

Mark bit his lip and raised his sword again. _Parry, parry, block, strike_. He swung with ferocity, with a fire deep inside him, spurred on by his mentor's criticism. Michael stumbled back, struggling to keep up with his brother.

But then Michael found his own strength again. He tore forward. _Strike, strike, block, parry._ He danced with the sword, catching Mark on the shoulder with a painful slap.

Gwaine nodded for them to part. "Good job, both of you. You both stepped up to the challenge." He looked up and caught sight of Leon marching towards him with serious speed. Gwaine gestured for Mikhail and Michael to have a go as he walked to meet Leon. "What's up?"

Leon's face betrayed a strange mix of emotions like rarely happened. Gwaine saw relief and suspicion and joy all wrapped up in one.

"Gwaine, send your three to Sir Tor's group," Leon ordered. "You've got to come with me."

"Why?" Gwaine quizzed him, even as he walked over to his students and gave them directions. He turned back to Leon when he provided no answer. "What's happened?"

"You will not believe who's come back," was all Leon replied. He shook his head and suspicion crawled back on his face. "I hardly believe it myself."

"Fira?" Gwaine looked hopeful.

Leon's face contorted in regret. "No."

As they hurried into the citadel, Gwaine wondered who else could have possibly come back. They weren't missing anyone but Fira. But as he turned a corner and was led to the new, larger Round Table room, he heard a voice that made him stop in his tracks.

Gwaine turned to Leon, who halted a few steps ahead. "That's not…"

Leon merely smiled and shrugged.

The new Round Table stood larger than the stone one. Carved from wood, a place for every member of the druid prophecies was there plus one extra which was usually occupied by Mordred. At each place, carved in the Old Religion, were their titles.

* * *

 _King Arthur drew off the cloth which covered the new table quickly, revealing the beautiful mahogany wood underneath. His companions stood nearby as he began his speech._

" _Hundreds of years ago, the old kings of Camelot used round tables to provide every man an equal voice. Once again this will be the case." He paused and looked around. "Sir Gwaine, take your seat as Strength."_

 _Gwaine smirked and sat down. He liked his title. With his finger he began to trace the runes which bore his word._

" _Sir Galahad, take your seat as Purity."_

 _The knight bowed and sat down. He looked left to Gwaine and smiled happily._

" _Sir Elyan, take your seat as Patience."_

 _Elyan eased himself into his chair with grace. He met Arthur's gaze and nodded thanks._

" _Sir Leon, take your seat as Loyalty."_

 _Leon, ever Arthur's greatest ally, bowed to his king in sincerity before sitting. His eye contact never wavered from Arthur's._

" _Sir Percival, take your seat as Honesty."_

 _Percival smiled and sat down beside Leon. He didn't miss the good natured wink Gwaine sent him._

" _Sir Tor, take your seat as Bravery."_

 _The knight nodded his thanks to Arthur as he slid easily into the wooden chair. He looked up at Sir Morholt in pride._

" _Sir Morholt, take your seat as Valor."_

 _Morholt exchanged a quick smile and nod with Tor as he sat down. His mind raced as he fully realized his place in the prophecies of old._

" _Sir Gaheris, take your seat as Intrepid."_

 _Gaheris, across from his older brother, almost felt tears in his eyes as he sat down. Gwaine nodded in return._

" _Sir Gareth, take your seat as Courtesy."_

 _The youngest knight of Camelot smiled wide as he took his seat. Looking at Gwaine, tears unbidden welled up in his eyes as his thoughts drifted to their deceased mother._

" _Fira, take your seat as Faith."_

 _She dipped her head in respect. Taking her seat, she waited eagerly for the next._

" _Merlin, take your seat as Magic."_

 _Merlin looked at Fira before he bowed deeply to King Arthur. He took his seat at the table graciously. Then he spoke._

" _King Arthur, take your seat as Courage," he said quickly."_

 _Arthur rolled his eyes but sat down. He looked around and met the gazes of everyone present. Then he looked to his right, where an empty seat sat._

" _We leave a seat empty, and call it Hope." Arthur looked at them again. "For the hope of Camelot."_

" _Who will fill it?" Fira asked quietly._

 _Arthur paused before nodding to himself. "Sir Mordred."_

* * *

And so the Round Table at last came together. But now, as Gwaine looked in the room and found his friends talking quickly to a brown haired man, he froze. For someone sat in the spot of Faith. Someone other than Fira.

"Lancelot?!"

The man in question looked up at Gwaine and smiled. "Sir Gwaine! Good to see you again."

Gwaine looked at him incredulously. "Good to… what? You come back, three years after dying, only to say 'good to see you again'?"

The others laughed at Gwaine's reaction. Evidently Elyan, Merlin, Arthur, Percival, and Leon found this much more comical than Gwaine. Right then Gwaine's mind still couldn't comprehend what he was seeing.

"I'm sorry." Lancelot chuckled softly. "It's been a long day, a long few months."

Gwaine took up a spot next to Merlin. He finally laughed with them, joy in his voice as he spoke again. "I think we could all use drinks."

"Is that still your solution for everything?" Lancelot shook his head with mirth twinkling in his eyes. "Drink away your sorrows and joys?"

Gwaine smirked. "You got a better plan?"

Lancelot shrugged and shook his head. "It's been a long time since I had good wine. I wouldn't mind some."

Arthur nodded. "Then you shall have it."

Merlin rushed out the door and down to the kitchens. He dodged several servants who busily carried lunch to their masters. When he reached the kitchen, he skidded to a halt and grabbed a few serving boys to help carry.

"I need food and the best wine you can find on short notice," Merlin told the cook. "The King demands it."

Within ten minutes the boys, led by Merlin, carried platters and trays of food alongside pitchers and jugs of wine to the Round Table. Few besides those who held a seat ever saw it, and the boys eagerly glanced around while serving. But none could read the runes, and soon enough their in had ended. They left, Merlin assuring them he could handle the job from there.

"So, how did you return?" Gwaine asked the obvious question as soon as they sat and began eating.

"I'm not quite sure." Lancelot sighed, preparing to expertly craft his lie. "Six months ago, a tear opened up between this world and the Otherworld. It offset the balance in the spirit realm enough that I, having been a human in that realm, escaped. I still don't know what caused the tear."

"I do." Gwaine looked at him in solemn recognition. "It happened when we were in Somerset."

"Where did you return?" Elyan studied Lancelot carefully.

"The north. Orkney," Lancelot said shuddering. "It was bitter cold in the dead of winter. I almost died, and would have if not for the kindness of strangers. I waited out the winter there, and then began the slow journey back to Camelot."

Merlin grinned. "Thank the gods!"

Lancelot laughed. "Believe me, I've been thanking the old gods and the one God the entire time I've been back." He looked around at his friends. "For a long time I was afraid I'd be taken back there. It was terrible." He shuddered.

Suddenly the doors flew open. Guinevere Pendragon rushed inside, holding her dress up so she could move faster. She stopped in amazement and trepidation as her eyes fell on the man she'd once loved.

"Lancelot?"

"My Lady." The man stood, bowing out of courtesy.

Gwen had none of it. She grabbed him in a hug and kissed the top of his head. She could barely believe her own eyes.

The others chuckled at her reaction. When she stood back from him, she slapped him across the cheek.

Gwen smirked. "That's for dying."


	13. Quiet Lies

_A/N: Apologies for missing yesterday. I'm currently on vacation. So here's an extra long one tonight._

* * *

A shadowy figure slipped unnoticed into the tunnels beneath Camelot's citadel. She snuck along the stone walls, using a spell to grant herself the ability to see in the dark. Morgana had called it "Night Eye" when she taught it to her.

Red eyes gleamed in the dark as Fira reached a corner. She closed her eyes for a moment and reached out with her magic. She felt a single presence nearby. Evidently a guard stood around the corner. Fira drew her dagger blessed with the waters of Avalon. She opened her eyes.

"Ábréatan."

Her red eyes flashed gold for a moment as the dagger flew from her hand when she stepped around the corner. The guard, not far away at all, barely registered her presence before the dagger imbedded itself in his neck. He dropped dead to the ground.

Fira drew the dagger from his neck as she stepped over his body. She wiped the blood onto her clothing to clean the blade. Then she slinked onward.

The one spell she needed to continue refreshing was a warding spell. It kept her hidden from Galahad and Merlin, the only two people capable of sensing magic that she knew of. She had a job to do, and could not allow herself to be sensed.

Fira crept forward stealthily. She reached a stairwell up and heard voices at the top. Using her magic to distract them, she ran upwards and ducked to the right down hallways she was familiar with. It was a few hours past midnight and even the servants slept. Only guards wandered the hallways.

Her mission tonight remained two-fold. First she needed to create a distraction. She needed to get the guards, the knights, the king all unsettled. Then she could, quite literally, work her magic.

For the second part of her job would be to enchant the Queen. Morgana in her wisdom insisted Fira not kill her. Instead, she was to order the Once and Future Queen to sleep with Lancelot. This would cause much more damage than a dead queen ever could.

Fira found herself eventually in the servants' quarters. It was silent, nothing stirring but Fira's light steps on the stone floor. She knew where she was going. Before long she reached the door in question.

Fira flicked her hand and used magic to unlock the door. She listened carefully and heard someone stir inside. Fira opened the door with a flash and closed it behind her. She came face to face with Jetta.

"Fira?!" The servant stared at the broken young woman before her in shock. "What the hell?"

"People like you are the reason my kind suffer," Fira growled and hissed. She took a step forward towards Jetta. "You're the reason people like myself live in fear. Why we are executed for _nothing_!"

Jetta's eyes widened in terror as Fira drew her dagger. She went to scream but the sorceress was too fast. Fira, holding the knife with a reverse grip, slashed Jetta's throat violently, slicing the jugular. Instead of a shriek, a gurgling noise escaped Jetta's torn throat from where she lay on the ground.

Fira looked down in satisfaction at Jetta's corpse. A pool of blood seeped into the cracks of the stone, towards the door. The sorceress reached down and lay a note on the girl's forehead, untouched by blood.

With a scream to rival a banshee, she alerted the castle to the violent act she'd just committed. She used her magic to vanish, another spell taught to her by Morgana and her druid priests. Fira found it incredibly useful. By now, the blood had soaked the bottom of the door and out into the hallway. Scuffling of feet sounded outside the door and shouts of shock filled the air.

The door swung open as a guard ran inside. Fira watched as he bent down near Jetta's head and shouted down the hall as servants crowded the door. He called for his partner to hurry up.

Galahad and Leon arrived on the scene a few minutes later, faces etched with exhaustion. Fira cursed silently, adding to her warding spell so to be certain it would hold against Galahad. She watched with hatred as Galahad cleared the hallway and Leon surveyed the scene.

Leon looked down, trying to avoid the blood at his feet. He noticed immediately that a note lay on the girl's face. Perhaps it would reveal a motive for this murder. He picked it up gingerly and opened the letter. What he saw dismayed him.

Runes of the Old Religion lay in black ink on the paper. _Magic._ He quickly stuffed the note in his satchel and stood back from the corpse. He turned to find Merlin standing behind them.

He struggled to catch his breath. "I heard a scream! What-" He stopped upon seeing the bleeding body of Jetta. "Gods…"

Leon looked around and made sure Galahad had cleared the hallway before nodding to Merlin. The knight drew out the note and showed it to Merlin. "I can't read this."

Fira watched in bitter rage as Merlin took the note and examined it. Alarm filled his face.

"It says 'Revenge'." He shook his head. "Signed 'M'."

"Morgana?" Galahad whispered, coming to stand behind Merlin.

Leon nodded. "Most likely. We need to get this to the King!"

Fira froze as Merlin looked straight at where she stood invisibly. She glared at him, wishing Morgana had given the okay for her to attack Emrys head on. The man was a traitor to all magic users. He continued the cycle of persecution for his own kind.

"What's wrong?" Galahad murmured to him as he and Leon watched Merlin with concern.

Merlin sighed and continued to glance around the room. "I don't know. Something's wrong."

"There's a dead girl on the floor." Leon pointed to the corpse.

Merlin rolled his eyes. He turned to the body and suddenly startled. "That's Jetta…"

"Who's she?" Leon asked quickly.

Merlin hesitated. "I'd rather explain when the King's here. This might've just gotten really complicated."

Fira saw her chance to leave the room as Merlin reopened the door and waited for a moment. She dashed out silently and followed the group to the King's chambers. As they walked, the warning bell sounded.

"More?" Galahad sighed. He turned to Sir Leon. "I'll go check with the guards?"

Leon nodded as he and Merlin rushed to the King's chambers. Fira decided to follow them. They ended up meeting Arthur, Percival, Gwaine, and Lancelot together in the hallway to the King's Chambers.

"Report!" Arthur demanded, adjusting his sword.

"Galahad's looking into the warning bell," Leon told him quickly. "The three of us were investigating a murder on a servant when it happened."

Merlin glanced around. "Morgana and magic are definitely involved." He held out the note Leon had given him and translated it. "The dead servant is Jetta."

Arthur shook his head and gestured with his hands that the name meant nothing. "And she was…?"

Merlin sighed and still nervously shifted where he stood. "It would be best we talk about this elsewhere I think, sire."

Arthur watched him carefully but nodded. Still he was worried about the safety of his Queen. "Someone needs to stay with Guinevere."

"I can do that, my lord," Lancelot nodded. "I'm out of practice with a sword but I'll be fine in a pinch."

"Good." Arthur seemed satisfied as he gestured for his knights to follow him.

Fira allowed herself to drop the invisibility as soon as they were out of sight. Tired but eager to continue, she adjusted the pendant Morgana had given her to help with all the magic she was expending. She followed Lancelot inside as he nodded to her.

Guinevere stood at the window, fiddling with a necklace she wore worriedly. Her eyes darted back and forth at the ground, down in the courtyard. Guards ran to and fro. Upon the door opening, she turned and looked in surprise at Lancelot. She didn't yet see Fira, as she stood hidden behind him.

"Lancelot," she smiled affectionately. "There really is no need to protect me."

Fira smirked and walked out to where she was visible. She didn't miss the horrified expression on Guinevere's face as she spoke from beneath her hood. Fira adjusted her voice slightly to mask her identity. "Oh but there is. You are the key to the Pendragon King."

Guinevere went to scream but Fira thrust out her hand and the Queen felt her throat clench. Lancelot guarded the door but Fira gestured for him to come forward. She pointed for him to stand in front of the Queen.

"Synnlust Lancelot ond ofergietan." She chanted slowly before completing Lady Morgana's spell and flashing her eyes gold.

Fira dropped the queen, releasing her. But when she stood up, Fira had gone invisible once more. The Queen looked on Lancelot with only lust in her eyes. He watched her hungrily.

The warlock left them to be. Lancelot had a job to do.

* * *

Gwaine stood with his arms crossed. "Who is Jetta?"

The Knights of the Round Table all stood in the Throne Room. Gareth, Gaheris, Tor, and Morholt guarded the doors, but listened intently. Leon and Percival and Elyan stood close to the King, but Gwaine paced opposite Galahad. Mordred leaned against the wall. Merlin, frowning, stood next to the King Arthur.

"Jetta was an infamous servant," Merlin began. "Ask Mark and Michael. They'll back this up. She enjoyed blackmailing and picking on other servants, especially one."

"Who?" Arthur seemed highly interested at this point. "They might be a lead."

"Fira." Merlin sighed and paced slightly. "She threatened Fira multiple times, always reminding her of the fact that she was a druid and that druids were unwelcome in Camelot… Among other things."

"That's not true," Elyan objected.

"It's truer than you think." The warlock glanced from Elyan to Arthur. "You may have officially welcomed the druids back, but the people, most have not."

Arthur nodded sadly. "What other things?"

"Jetta liked to spread rumors that…" Merlin paused and glanced at the knights.

Leon tapped his fingers on his arm impatiently. "What?"

"That the only reason you all kept her around was to sleep with her," Merlin murmured, rubbing the back of his neck. "I don't think Fira knew that I know this. She never brought up the bullying with me. Jetta also liked to say she had the king enchanted."

The knights were stunned into silence. No one had any answers for either accusations. They felt completely lost.

"So what does this have to do with a lead on this servant of Morgana's?" Arthur finally reeled them back in and focused on the issue. "How does this help us?"

"When we were in the room with Jetta's body, I felt something." Merlin frowned. "It's hard to explain. It felt like a presence, but it wasn't strong enough for a person."

"Unless they shielded themselves," Galahad added quickly, catching on. "You think someone is hiding in the castle?"

The room leapt to attention, immediately on edge. Arthur tried to hold them at attention. He gestured for them to settle down.

"Invisibility is a very complex spell. The power needed to hold that and a ward against detection is immense," Merlin began to mutter as he paced. "I could do it, I'm sure. Probably Morgana. And one other person."

Gareth piped up from his spot at the doors. "Fira."

Merlin nodded. "Fira could, yes."

The room exploded in shouts and objections after a brief moment of stunned silence. Gwaine looked pale as a ghost, silent while others vied for a word in edgewise.

"No one is safe if this is Fira," Merlin spoke quietly, the color drained from his face as well. "If she is working for Morgana, I can stop her, but no one else can."

"The queen," Arthur barked. "Merlin, we need to protect the queen. The rest of you, make yourselves useful. Find Gaius and tell him what's happened, and ask how it's happening. He might know."

Together the two of them rushed off to the royal chambers, Arthur with his blade out. As they reached the doors, Arthur burst in.

And found Guinevere in bed with Lancelot.


	14. Long Way Down

Arthur stood in shock as he saw his wife scramble to cover herself more fully. Her eyes glistened with tears when she saw her husband.

"Arthur," Gwen squeaked. "I-"

The rage that covered his face stopped her short. He couldn't decide who he was more furious with: his cheating wife, or the man he loved as a brother. So instead he turned to Merlin. "Get me Sir Leon and Sir Gwaine."

Merlin nodded, mouth shut. He ran out of the room and down the stairs to Gaius' chambers. The entire castle seemed awake since the warning bell, and in fact dawn was drawing near. He reached his chambers soon enough, bursting in without a knock.

"The king needs Sir Gwaine and Sir Leon in his chambers!" He panted, out of breath and still confused.

Leon and Gwaine, who had been talking quietly with Gaius, spun around alongside Percival and Galahad. Their faces betrayed their confusion, but they did not object.

"What's wrong?" Gwaine asked as he hurried with Leon and Merlin to Arthur's rooms.

Merlin wouldn't respond with anything meaningful. "The king will explain."

First to enter was Leon. He found Lancelot standing, dressing himself. Guinevere stood in a nightgown, tears streaming down her face. Gwaine came in moments later with Merlin. The King had his sword out.

"Take them to the dungeons," Arthur spat furiously. "Separate cells."

Leon and Gwaine turned to Arthur in shock, mouths agape, uncertain as to what had prompted this. But they didn't question him. Gwaine took Gwen by the arm, pity in his eyes as she shouted for Arthur not to order her there. He escorted her out, and Leon soon followed with Lancelot.

Lancelot glanced back at Arthur as he left. "Thanks to your wife, Morgana will now know all your plans for war."

Arthur drew his sword and would've struck Lancelot where he stood had Merlin not interfered.

"This isn't Lancelot," Merlin begged. "Let me see if I can help him."

Arthur's face contorted in rage but he nodded. "You have till dinner. He'll be executed then."

"Yes sire." Merlin bowed and followed Leon down to the dungeons.

By the time they got there, Gwaine had already placed Gwen in a cell and was locking the door. Leon put Lancelot in a cell not far away.

He turned to Gwaine as the deed was done. "He's working for Morgana."

Gwaine seethed in anger as he looked back at Lancelot. "That bastard."

"I don't think it's Lancelot," Merlin told them quickly. "Something's wrong with this. And it's too much of a coincidence that everything happened tonight."

They turned in surprise as Galahad came bounding down the stairs. "Merlin, Gaius says he might've found something about Fira!"

All three followed Sir Galahad quickly up the stairs and down several hallways to the physician. They burst inside, eager to hear whatever news he had. Light now made its way from outside into the rooms, dawn breaking.

"What is it?" Merlin asked.

Elyan and Percival shrugged and gestured to Gaius. The old man beckoned for them to enter the room further. They took seats where they could find them. Gaius picked up something from the dining table and held it in his hand. He opened his palm to reveal a red rock.

"We found those," Gwaine nodded. "Back when we interrupted the caravan to Dunnottar. Why?"

"This is a Heart Stone." Gaius handed it to Merlin so he could retrieve an old, worn spell book. He showed them a picture. "The High Priestesses used them to influence unruly apprentices."

Merlin glanced up in alarm. "How does it work?"

"According to the book, a spell is used to fuse the stone to the person's body. It secretes a toxin into the bloodstream which reaches the heart and takes control." Gaius sighed. "It leaves the victim incredibly susceptible to suggestion from the caster."

"You said unruly apprentices," Leon pointed out. "Doesn't that mean they were at least somewhat willing to undergo the process? Fira wouldn't have."

Gaius nodded. "I imagine Morgana needed her extremely weak for it to work on Fira."

"We left her to this," Elyan murmured, putting his head in his hands where he sat at the table.

Gwaine left the room, slamming the door behind himself. He strode with purpose to the training fields. There he found a practice dummy and showed it no mercy.

"Gwaine!"

The knight turned to find his brother Sir Gaheris walking towards him. He had his sword out and a guarded expression on his face. He pointed the sword at Gwaine.

"Do you want a real partner?" He shot him a rueful smile. "The king won't be happy to see his practice dummy in pieces."

Gwaine looked at the dummy and a laugh formed. He chuckled before turning to Gaheris. "I'd welcome an easy target."

Gaheris laughed heartily. "Oh please. I beat you half the time."

"Keep telling yourself that." Gwaine winked. He raised his sword and nodded for them to begin.

As they traded blows, Gaheris spoke up again. "Galahad brought me up to speed. Fira isn't your fault."

Gwaine smashed his sword violently against his brother's in anger. "Then whose is it? It was my patrol."

"Kara's. It was an ambush she set up," Gaheris struggled and managed to push Gwaine away. "And she's dead because of it."

Gwaine swung left but Gaheris caught the strike easily. The latter parried back before swinging himself with an uppercut. _Strike, parry, block, strike._ They both knew the delicate dance of swordplay well.

As they sparred, the warning bell rang once more. Gwaine and Gaheris looked at each other and ran towards the Citadel. Gwaine decided to head towards the dungeons and his brother followed. With swords out and ready, they skidded to a halt at the top of the dungeon stairs. Merlin called to him from behind.

"It's Fira!" He panted and blew past the knights. "She dropped her warding spell!"

Gwaine and Gaheris followed him into the dungeons. They took the steps two at a time, rushing with all their speed to catch the fallen warlock. But by the time the three reached the cells, all they found was a swirling wind as Fira and Lancelot whisked away.

Two knights, sirs Philip and Lamorak, lay dead in the hallway, strangled. A guard had a slit throat further along. Guinevere huddled against the wall and sobbed.

"What have I done," she cried.

Gaheris crinkled his nose. "You betrayed your husband and king."

"Did you tell Lancelot anything about the war?" Gwaine squatted down in front of her cell door. When she refused to look at him he snapped. "Gwen?"

"Yes."

"Shit." Gwaine stood up and shook his head. "I need to find King Arthur." He looked down at his dead brothers-in-arms and then to Gaheris. "Take care of the bodies." He then beckoned for Merlin to follow.

They found Arthur pacing in the Round Table room. Leon, Elyan, Percival, and Galahad sat with him, waiting for their king to speak.

"Lancelot's gone." Gwaine reported as he walked inside. "It was Fira. She broke him out, killed Lamorak and Philip."

Arthur slammed his hand on the table. "Damnit. And Guinevere?"

Gwaine was about to speak but Merlin cut him off. "I believe she was enchanted, sire. I tried to figure out what spell it was but couldn't. Definitely done by Fira."

"Really?" Arthur's face softened slightly. "But did she betray any information?"

Gwaine nodded. "She says so."

Arthur walked around the room in silence. The others watched him carefully, wondering what was going on inside his head. Trying to formulate a plan, he smiled slightly before dropping back into a frown.

"Merlin, what do you think happened to Lancelot?" Arthur folded his arms over his chest. "Is there any part of the real Lancelot in there?"

Merlin sighed. "Probably. Now that he completed his quest, I'd imagine his old personality, or parts of it, might behind to resurface. Why?"

"He loves Guinevere." Arthur frowned. "Always has."

With hesitation, the servant nodded. "Yes."

"Then Guinevere must die."

The room exploded into questions and objections. But Arthur merely held up his hand for silence and stared them down.

"We will stage an execution. Lancelot, if I know him well like I believe I do, will not permit Gwen to die." He continued to explain his plan. "Hopefully he will come and we will capture him and some soldiers of Morgana."

"So you won't kill Gwen?" Merlin hoped he heard the King correctly.

Arthur shook his head. "No. But she must not know it's a fake. It needs to seem real. Two days from now, she will be hanged."

Everyone present swore to secrecy. They split and went their separate ways, the knights heading to the Rising Sun despite it being but midday. Meanwhile Arthur and Merlin had to deliver their sentence to the Queen.


	15. Prepare for the Storm

_A/N: Since FFN insists on being stupid and not showing when I actually update this story, here is your far too common PSA that yesterday was an update, and a very important one at that, so go read chapter 14 before this one._

* * *

Fira paced in the throne room belonging to Morgana. The woman in question sat upon her throne, Aithusa her dragon sitting at her feet. Lancelot stood nearby, arms crossed.

"My lady, I think more would be accomplished now by kidnapping the Once and Future Queen." Fira stopped her pacing and looked to the sorceress. "They will likely figure out she was enchanted. That means they'll want to rescue her."

"And lead Arthur right to our door," Morgana grinned maniacally. "Yes, I agree with you. Lancelot, you will lead fifty men to stage the kidnapping."

"Yes, my lady." Lancelot stood, shifting his weight to his other leg and crossing his arms. "Somehow it feels only natural."

"Nyx and my priests will perform a spell to send you to Camelot City itself." Morgana nodded to herself and then smiled. "Aithusa, you shall go as well. We will distract the guards by sending a dragon."

The dragon lifted her head and let out a small noise. Morgana, resting a hand on her friend's head, smiled warmly. The only time Fira knew Morgana to get emotional and comforting was around the magical oversized lizard. Personally, Fira found Aithusa less than a commanding presence.

"Nyx, find Darian at the balcony and begin preparations for the spell." Morgana ordered her enslaved apprentice around like it was already second nature.

Fira bowed to Morgana. She left by way of a right-hand door. The corridor it opened into remained well lit despite the lack of windows. Candles lined the walls. She reached the very end door, opened it, and stepped out into an extremely large, circular balcony.

A man robed in browns and whites stood at the far end of the balcony, leaning against the wrought-iron rails. Fira approached him silently, but he recognized her by her power.

"Ah, Nyx." He turned and beckoned to her. "It is good to finally meet you in person."

"Darian," Fira murmured with a nod. "You brought me here."

He smiled and nodded back. "Indeed I did. What a privilege that was, might I tell you. Getting to help the Lady of Legend achieve her destiny."

Fira shifted uncomfortably. Something felt off when others spoke of destiny, as if she and destiny were old friends who had a falling out. She couldn't explain it.

"Lady Morgana wishes us to prepare with the others a spell to transport 51 men to Camelot City."

"Really?" Darian raised an eyebrow in surprise. "I do not know if even combining all our power could do such a thing."

Fira shrugged. "We must."

* * *

Gwaine downed his third drink that hour with a flashy swing of his arm. Beside him, Gaheris took a drink of his own mead casually. Gareth and Galahad soon joined them with pints of their own.

The Rising Sun remained quiet that evening, much to the knights' surprise. Leon and Percival joined the four men not long after, with Tristan and Bedivere filing in later. A steady hum filled the tavern, and the crackling fire sent tendrils of light flying along walls and the floor.

"You all look about as depressed as I feel," muttered Sir Bedivere as he took a seat from a nearby table and pulled it in next to Tristan and Percival. "I can't believe Queen Guinevere betrayed us."

Leon agreed, playing with his cup distractedly. "The fact remains that she is a traitor during wartime. For that there is but one punishment."

"Sir Elyan has been shut in his room since the pronouncement yesterday." Gareth frowned sadly.

With a nod, Gaheris took a sip and then slammed his drink down. "You should've seen Lamorak and Philip. Murdered, because of her. Because she ran her mouth at the wrong time." He paused and frowned. "Still, I feel for Elyan and for Arthur. It is not easy to lose a loved one. I do not envy the King."

Gwaine, uncharacteristically quiet, got up and walked to the bar. He took out several pence and slid it across the countertop to the barmaid. "Two more pints of mead."

"We'll get her back, right?" Galahad came up behind him and spoke quietly. "That's part of the war effort now? Retrieving Fira?"

Gwaine sighed and turned to look at Sir Galahad sadly. "If it were up to me, she'd be here already. Trust me, if we're given the chance, we'll get her back." He handed Galahad a couple pence. "Another drink on me."

Gratefully he took the money and got a mug of wine. _Fira's favorite._ He joined Gwaine back at the table. Together they clinked drinks and took sips of their alcohol as one.

"The King is having me and Gareth escort the Queen to the gallows," Gaheris told his brother.

Gwaine looked at him curiously. "Did you volunteer?"

"To escort the Queen to her death?" Gaheris looked disgusted. "Even after what I saw with Lamorak and Philip, no. But I didn't refuse."

Tristan leaned closer to Leon. "So, what are these rumors I hear about our missing physician's assistant?" He quieted down so only Leon could hear. "Is she really alive?"

"That's classified information, Tristan." Leon looked at him hard. "How did you hear about it?"

Tristan shrugged. "Merlin and Gaius. I went to them for help with a headache and they talked about it thinking I couldn't hear. I'm not _that_ stupid."

Leon rolled his eyes. "Sometimes we forget."

"Hey!"

"Yes, we think she is alive. Morgana has a way of controlling her actions right now." Leon frowned at his mug of half-drunk mead. "We have no idea how to separate her from the control though."

Galahad hissed in anger. "We aren't giving up."

Leon nodded to him in agreement. "I never said we were."

"She'd never give up on us," Percival agreed. "I don't intend to do anything else for her."

Inside the citadel proper, Merlin sat on his bed reading the book about Heart Stones. It wasn't looking good for Fira. He flipped a page and took a bite of an apple, trying not to stress out but failing miserably. The control of a Heart Stone could only be ended with either the death of the caster, the death of the victim, or the separation of the stone of the person's body. Even then, it almost always ended in the death of the victim.

"Merlin, you need to sleep," Gaius said with a frown, opening the door to Merlin's room and peeking in.

The warlock sighed. "I can't. Between Gwen and Lancelot and Fira… I don't know what to do anymore." He shook his head. "The future of Albion is hanging in the balance. I can feel it."

"Has Kilgharrah helped at all?" Gaius wondered.

"Everything he says now is cryptic and hard to decipher." Merlin slammed the spell book closed. "He told me that the day of reckoning is almost here. Whatever that means."

Gaius nodded in understanding. "Get some rest, my dear boy. The gods know you need it."


	16. The Storm Breaks

_A/N: Get ready. Because you aren't ready.. **.**_

* * *

 **"Alas that ever I bare crown upon my head! for now have I lost the fairest fellowship of noble knights that ever held Christian king together."**

 **\- Le Morte D'Arthur**

* * *

Arthur stood pensively in his room, watching out the large windows to where the gallows had been erected. The noose swayed ominously in the breeze of the early morning, and sunlight barely managed to touch the wooden structure. This morning, unlike other mornings, seven knights stood in front of the closed gate to the courtyard of the Citadel. They blocked the townsfolk from entering. This would not be a public affair.

A knock at the door alerted the king to Merlin's imminent presence. His friend and manservant entered quietly with food. Arthur didn't turn to look, but spoke as he watched the stillness below.

"This is going to work." He seemed to be trying to reassure himself more than Merlin. "This isn't a mistake."

Merlin frowned as he placed the food tray on the large oak table. He didn't respond at first, too concerned himself to say anything. But after a moment or two he nodded. "No matter what happens, you did what was best."

Arthur nodded and finally turned to face the warlock. "Of course. They're ready then?"

"The others?" Merlin nodded. "Yes. Gwaine and Leon know their jobs. Percival, Elyan, and Galahad are all double checking the perimeter as we speak."

"I chose Gareth and Gaheris to escort Guinevere," Arthur told him, taking his seat to begin eating. "Gaheris was eager enough after seeing Lamorak and Philip dead."

"When will it begin?"

Arthur put down his fork to answer. "One hour. She's to march with the rising sun."

* * *

"Are you prepared?" Morgana paced back and forth where she stood watching her eighteen priests form a circle around the fifty men and Lancelot. "Nyx?"

Fira nodded. "I am."

The young woman held out her hands to either side, palms open to the rising sun. The priests joined in a circle with her, chanting alongside the Lady. A slight breeze blew in the air, and it only picked up as the words were shouted louder and faster.

"...byre gerecan hradian edhwierft…"

Fira found herself shouting, struggling to be heard about the massive whirlwind that surrounded them. Morgana watched in glee as her plan came to fruition, as her servants banded together to be more powerful than even she. The addition of Fira to her ranks made Morgana feel invincible.

After fifteen minutes of the spell, their eyes flashed gold together as it completed its course. All were thrown back by the wind, Fira fainting from the expenditure of power. But Morgana merely laughed. Her troops now descended upon Camelot.

* * *

"Guinevere Pendragon, you stand accused and convicted of betraying the crown, and of treason of the highest order." Arthur stood above her, dressed to the nines in armor and regalia. He narrowed his eyes as she pleaded with him.

"Please!" She sobbed and begged. "I was not myself!"

Beside her, Sir Gareth frowned sadly. The youngest knight of Camelot didn't agree with his King's decision to execute the queen. He knew something was off. Guinevere would _never_ have betrayed them unless forced to.

He looked to the side and found Gwaine staring nowhere in particular, anger evident in his scrunched facial features. Gareth looked to his other brother who stood but on the other side of the Queen. Gaheris seemed just as put out, but it clearly was directed at Queen Guinevere. He knew Gaheris had seen the damage done by the Queen first hand.

Gareth also noted that this execution felt different. All the knights not on patrol or guarding the various towns outside of Camelot had assembled together in the courtyard, some thirty five in all. Most seemed angry at the Queen, but the core knights, the King's closest friends, looked more on edge than angry. It seemed as if a storm was about to break.

Leon's hand absentmindedly rested on his sword hilt. Elyan played with his cloak's fastener. Percival watched the exits carefully. Galahad seemed on high alert, likely trying to sense any magic nearby. Gareth didn't understand it.

Arthur frowned. "I have no choice but to sentence you to death."

Gwen drew herself up and nodded, trying to maintain what little dignity she had left. Gaheris nudged her forward and she began to climb the stairs.

At that moment, a great gusting of wind sounded in the courtyard. The entire courtyard froze, as if waiting to see what would happen. Gareth noted that Arthur no longer stood at the balcony. But his attention and fascination wavered when a crash and shouts were heard at the gate.

"Ready yourselves!" Leon cried, drawing his sword. He stopped before the queen and the two half brothers of Gwaine. He lowered his voice. "She's innocent, enchanted by a witch. Keep her safe."

Gwen looked at a complete loss for words, but cried openly in relief. Gaheris seemed stunned. After a tense moment, he nodded to Gareth. They had a job to do.

"Stay up there, your majesty," Gaheris cried as the doors flew open. "We'll protect the stairs!"

Saxons flooded the courtyard, engaging the knights of Camelot fiercely. The area became inundated with screams of anger and rage. The battle began in earnest. Gwaine and Leon led the defense as best they could, the two greatest fighters of Camelot, side by side, their mission the same. Yet even they became pushed back as a single man strode forward, surrounded by Saxons willing to die to defend him.

Lancelot du Lac didn't even swing his sword. All he had to do was stay close to his three battlemages. The mages sent the knights flying back like ragdolls. No one could touch the fallen knight.

"Crossbow!" Gwaine shouted for the ranged weapon.

Galahad held three in his hands, and passed them to Gwaine, Leon, and Elyan. Together they tried to take out the Battlemages. Leon's bolt found its target, and the man fell dead. Yet still Lancelot pressed on. Gwaine turned around just in time to catch the blade of a Saxon, saving himself and Elyan.

"Where's Arthur?" Gwaine snapped as Percival ran over. "He needs to grab Gwen and get out!"

The Saxon ranks were thinning, slowly but surely. The ones Morgana had sent seemed more organized and powerful than most Saxons the knights had met thus far.

A scream alerted the others to Guinevere's plight. Gaheris and Gareth had managed to kill the two remaining Battlemages, but Lancelot fought them now at the foot of the gallows. Gwaine immediately tried to wade towards them. But the Saxons made it difficult.

Another scream and shout betrayed the fate of Gaheris. He had dived in front of Lancelot's sword, taking a strike intended for his little brother. Straight through the stomach, the sword cut him deep. He fell, silent, to the side.

Gwaine shouted furiously. He began to cut down the Saxons like they were paper. Leon and Percival joined him on either side. They sliced through the enemy forces, egged on by the hated Gwaine felt. It surged through him, providing a second wind he didn't know he had.

A sword caught him on the leg. But Gwaine responded by stabbing the Saxon through the heart. He kicked the body off his sword and to the side. He was so close, another minute and he'd be there.

But Lancelot had other plans. Weight and height remained on his side as he fought Sir Gareth. The young knight's face dripped with fear. But still he fought on, swinging wildly to protect his Queen who stood atop the gallows. Gareth pushed back with such ferocity that Lancelot gave a few feet. Gwen seized the opportunity to flee, Arthur finally reaching her with Merlin by his side.

"Get Gwen inside!" Arthur shouted quickly to his manservant. "Get her to safety."

Merlin's face blanched in terror as time seemed to stop. Arthur turned to see what his friend looked at. All he saw was Gareth dropping his sword, another blade protruding from his stomach.

Gwaine's roar of anger roused Arthur from his stupor. Both the men converged on Lancelot, enraged and eager for vengeance. But both flew back, pushed by an unnatural force. A last battlemage stepped up beside the fallen knight and they shared a nod. With a spell, the knight and the mage disappeared from the battlefield.

Gwaine scrambled to his feet and ran towards his dying brothers. Gaheris grew increasingly cold to the touch as Gwaine felt his pulse. The man forced his eyes open one last time.

Blood spilled from his lips. "Gareth?"

Gwaine didn't even have time to respond before his brother stopped breathing. Gwaine's face contorted in rage and regret, but a cold, bloody hand on his arm alerted him to his youngest brother's plight.

"Gwaine!" Gareth coughed violently, blood pouring down the side of his mouth. "Gwaine I don't want to die!"

Gwaine knelt next to him, taking his hand. With his other hand, he tried desperately to stop the bleeding in his brother's abdomen.

He snapped back. "You're not going to die."

"How's Gaheris?" Gareth tried to turn his head to look for his older brother. " 's he safe?

Gwaine glanced back at the still body of Gaheris. Then he looked at Gareth. He forced a roguish smile on his face. "He's great. Got knocked out, the silly man."

Gareth let out a single chuckle which proceeded to morph into a choking cough. More blood poured from his body. Gwaine tore off his cloak and stuffed it in the wound.

"You can't drift off, 'kay?" Gwaine looked at him seriously. "You understand little brother? You need to keep talking."

"Gwaine," Gareth let a tiny smile form on his pained, youthful face. "Gwaine if I die, maybe I'll see mother again."

"You're not going to die," the older man snapped once more. "Stop talking like that."

"It's okay," Gareth smiled as his eyes began to close. "Mum will be there. I'm not scared anymore."

"No," Gwaine whined, "no you can't die. You hear that, Gareth? That's an order. I can do that. No dying allowed."

But Gareth didn't stir. His eyes closed a final time, and his head fell to the side. The grip of his hand on Gwaine's faltered. But his brother didn't let go.

"No." Gwaine shook his head, dropping the limp hand and standing away. He looked at the blood covering his own hands and shook his head. "No."

Arthur had watched the entire ordeal in horror, not daring to interrupt for fear of what Gwaine might do. Percival, Leon, and Elyan now all stood beside their king, looking at the broken bodies of Gwaine's brothers with shock written all over their faces. Gareth looked so young, lying there. His seventeen years had been cut too short.

Gwaine trembled where he stood, vitriolic hatred practically radiating from him. As he turned to his King, Arthur flinched at the gaze.

"As your knight, your cousin, and your friend," Gwaine spoke slowly and darkly. "I demand vengeance for their deaths. Either we take the war to that witch, or I go alone."


	17. Final Farewell

Arthur's first decree of that day assured the entire nation of Camelot that their queen, Guinevere Pendragon, did not betray them. He spoke of the enchantment placed on her, and how it spoke volumes to how desperate Morgana had become. They accepted this readily, and Gwen became a beloved monarch once more.

But his second task fell even harder on his shoulders. He had six pyres erected in the courtyard after dismantling the gallows. Gwaine helped more than anyone else, even taking it upon himself to finish the pyres for his brothers with only Merlin to help. They proceeded in silence, neither speaking out of respect for the dead.

Gwaine's _heart_ hurt, he couldn't think of any other way to describe it. Six months ago he'd made a promise to his dying mother. He'd promised to protect Gareth and Gaheris at all times. He'd promised to help them in their quest for knighthood. Today he had failed. And he could feel the weight of that failure on his shoulders.

The brilliant sun in the cloudless sky mocked him as he placed a final log on Gareth's pyre. The lidless eye far above watched him struggle to hold his emotions in check. All he wanted to do, with all his heart and soul, was run away from his problems. Preferably he'd run right into Morgana and stab her through the heart.

His brothers had loved Camelot. Gwaine couldn't abandon them, even if he truly desired it. And the fact remained that the army of Camelot was his only hope for revenge. Fortunately, as he and his brothers were recognized members of the royal family, cousins of King Arthur through their mothers Igraine Pendragon and Morcades de Bois, the Council would readily agree to send the army to fight Morgana. Or at least that's what Gwaine was relying on. He'd have to find out later that day.

When the pyres sat ready, Gwaine went to retrieve his brothers' bodies. Arthur and the entire body of knights, and as many guards as could fit in the square, stood waiting as a procession began. At the front went Gwaine carrying Gareth in his arms. Gaheris, carried by Sir Leon, came after. Gwaine had requested the commander take that spot, as Gaheris often spoke highly of Sir Leon. Four other fallen knights completed the procession.

Gwaine's face scrunched up as he bid his tears not to fall. He placed his youngest brother's body on the pyre and stepped back. Leon stood beside him. Though the two often bickered, there remained a tremendous amount of respect between them.

Servants handed torches to all six knights who stood by the pyres. Merlin delivered the torches to Gwaine and Leon solemnly. When Arthur nodded, Gwaine approached Gareth's body. He paused in hesitation before lighting the wood structure. Only then did he notice Leon had not lit Gaheris'.

"It is not my place," Leon murmured as he handed Gwaine the second torch.

Gwaine gave a single nod, a lump in his throat keeping him silent. He took the torch in his hand and closed his eyes, trying desperately to keep the tears back. He needed to be strong for them.

At last, Gwaine stepped up to Gaheris' pyre and lit it without ceremony. He then stepped away, not even noticing as King Arthur spoke a few words of comfort to the surrounding men. He watched the dancing flames as they devoured his brothers' bodies. The brightness reflected in his eyes and his anger returned in full force.

As Arthur dismissed the guards and knights, the original Round Table came together to mourn their fallen comrades. Gwaine had no intention of moving from his spot any time soon. Leon made no move to leave either, hoping his presence would act as some kind of support for the knight who looked torn to pieces. Leon had never known Gwaine to stand so incredibly still. His eyes never left the flaming pyres as his mind went over dozens of scenarios in which he could kill Morgana.

Half an hour later, Gwaine simply turned and left the courtyard. He said nothing, not even looking at his fellow knights. He walked with purpose into the Citadel right up to the King's chambers. He knocked loudly.

Inside, Arthur had been waiting for this. He knew it was Gwaine before he even entered. He had been talking with Merlin and Gwen, listening to the warlock explain what happened to her. Merlin was about to perform a spell to ensure all of Morgana's and Fira's control was gone when the knock occurred.

Merlin opened the door as the monarchs both stood. Gwaine looked a mix of angry and exhausted. But his eyes glinted in fury like Arthur had only seen in the desperate.

"Gwaine," Arthur sighed. "I'm-"

"Don't." Gwaine growled fiercely, holding up his hand. "Did we get the information we needed?"

"Yes," Arthur nodded back. "We have the location of Morgana's forces in the Perilous Lands."

"Good. Then as a member of the royal family in Camelot, I officially petition for war." He spat the words out angrily, his expression one of fierce rage. "Do you deny me?"

Arthur drew himself up. He saw a desperate man before him, a broken man. But he also saw the man who had defended Camelot tooth and nail for years and suffered heavily because of it. This was Gwaine, his cousin and friend. This was Gwaine, who was outranked only by the King himself and Sir Leon. How could he deny him?

"I do not deny you." Arthur bowed his head sadly. "I would be denying myself. We will begin moving troops tomorrow."

Gwaine nodded. "Good." He left the room with a tiny bow to the monarchs.

Gwen turned to Arthur as the door shut. Tears formed in her eyes unbidden. "This is my fault."

"No," Arthur shook his head. "You were enchanted. I'm the one who decided to put Gaheris and Gareth as your protection."

Merlin frowned. He didn't like the kind of talk as to who was to blame. If he hadn't been dealing with Aithusa on top of the citadel, he could've saved them.

"I should perform the spell." He leaned forward towards Gwen. "Just to be safe."

Gwen and Arthur both nodded quickly. Merlin, kneeling in front of Guinevere, reached out and felt her with his magic. What he experienced made him frown and jump back in surprise.

"There are two beings here." He muttered in surprise. "Gwen and something else."

"What?!" Arthur shouted in fright. "So her control is still working?"

Merlin shook his head. "It doesn't feel like Fira. It's like nothing I've ever felt before."

A small knock sounded on the door. Everyone looked up in confusion as Arthur opened it. Gaius stood there.

"I was just hoping to check on everyone." He sighed. "My guess is everyone's shaken up quite a bit."

The door shut behind him as he walked further in. He noticed Merlin's strange expression and wondered what the matter was.

"Merlin my boy, are you alright?"

Suddenly the warlock stood up straight, his eyes full of hope like what hadn't been experienced in a long time. He turned to the monarchs.

"Is it possible…" he chuckled. "Could Gwen be pregnant?"

Gaius shot him a surprised expression before moving to Gwen's side. The king and queen exchanged grins and she stood, grabbing her husband in a hug.

Gaius began asking Gwen many questions, to which she answered to the best of her abilities. Gaius in turn determined that she was, indeed, likely pregnant. Merlin left them to talk to the physician. He had a bounce in his step, but it remained tempered by the knowledge that war would ensue in the coming week. The deaths of Gwaine's brothers heralded trouble to come, Merlin was sure. Fira should've been there to protect them. That was her job. Instead she had likely encouraged the entire ordeal under Morgana's direction.

He went to find the knights, who he guessed were likely in the tavern. He made his way through the Lower Town until he came upon the Rising Sun. The sun shone far above, the midday heat of summer encouraging everyone indoors. Merlin ducked inside the tavern. He immediately found Elyan, Percival, and Leon sitting around a four person table, staring at their drinks unhappily. There were few patrons other than the knights.

"Why do you look pleased, Merlin?" Elyan looked at him strangely.

Sir Leon watched him hopefully. "Do you have good news?"

Merlin flashed a small smile. "The Queen is pregnant!"

The knights stared at him, open mouthed. Elyan's face lit up in excitement as he thought of how pleased his sister must've been. He grinned. But Leon took the words right out of his mouth.

"Bless you, Merlin. A bearer of good news." Leon shook his head with a smile. "God knows we needed some."

Merlin sat down in the remaining empty chair as Percival got up to buy him a drink. The warlock looked around and sighed. "No Gwaine?"

"We haven't seen him since the ceremony." Percival put the mug down in front of Merlin and took his own seat.

"He went straight to Arthur," Merlin told them quickly. "Officially asked for war, and Arthur granted it. The first troops are going to move out tomorrow."

Leon nodded. "It's about time we took the fight to his sister. I heard Tristan got information out of a few survivors."

"Tristan?" Merlin smirked.

Elyan nodded. "He's scary when he's angry."

"Oh I know. I was just thinking how pleased he must've been to have been given the job." He frowned again. "He was a good friend of Gaheris, and of Gwaine." He paused and looked around. "Speaking of friends, where's Galahad?"

"He disappeared after the funeral ceremony, too. He was injured." Leon sighed. "He and Gareth were close, but I sent him straight to Gaius."

"What kind of injury?"

Elyan chipped in. "Hurt shoulder. No worse than Gwaine's cut on his leg though."

"What?" Merlin sat up straighter. "He didn't go for treatment though. That idiot!"

Percival shrugged. "He'll be fine."

They enjoyed each other's company until Merlin bid them farewell. He had a lot of work to do to ensure his master, king, and friend was ready for battle in the coming days. To his surprise, he found Mordred in the hallway outside his chambers.

"Mordred!" He smiled. "Are you injured?"

"No," he shook his head. "Just wondered how Gwaine is, and figured you'd be the one to know."

"Unfortunately I don't," he said, shaking his head sadly. "But you should know, the war begins tomorrow. Arthur and the troops are moving out."

Mordred nodded. "Good to know. I best prepare, then."

He bid Merlin farewell and walked with purpose to his chambers. There he prepared a note to Morgana and sent it via her crow. Thus it was that Morgana knew to expect them. Mordred's treachery was complete.


	18. The Rainstorm

_A/N: Yet again, I am here to let you know that I updated yesterday, FFN did not let the general population know, and so you should double check you read that one before this._

 ** _July 31, 2017:_** _In response to the guest reviews. First off, so glad you stayed in for this one. As for Arthur not sending anyone after Fira, I suppose my response would be 'its war'. I couldn't think of anyone he would send, certainly not himself when he has to be ruling. I guess it never made sense to me in the show either. Also, I wish I could claim that the alternate Gwaine revenge plan was my own. This entire story is written based on Sir Thomas Malory's book, Le Morte d'Arthur. The entire reason Arthur goes to war in that is the deaths of Gareth and Gaheris because Gawain demands vengeance. I incorporated that here. Same with the Lancelot and Guinevere stuff. Though in the book, Lance is rescuing Gwen from a very real execution._

* * *

"It's a good thing we've been mustering for awhile now," Sir Tor remarked, glancing through parchments that sat atop the Round Table.

The entire gathered Round Table agreed heartily. In the meeting room sat or stood Sirs Gwaine, Elyan, Percival, Leon, Tor, Morholt, Galahad, Mordred, along with Merlin and King Arthur. All over the table rested parchments and scrolls, inkwells and quills.

The sun had long since sunk beneath the horizon, and they only continued working through the light of dozens of candles. The knights stayed hard at work, figuring out the best way to proceed with the imminent battle.

In the end, they decided to send four thousand troops to the Perilous Lands, leaving two thousand men to guard the city and the border in the north. Even with Sir Tristan's skill at interrogation, they had been unable to determine whether half of Morgana's forces remained in the north.

What they knew included the location of Morgana's castle, Volkihar, and the fact that she remained there with Fira and eighteen powerful sorcerers. They knew now that Fira, referred to by her druid name Nyx, did provide Morgana with Merlin's identity as Emrys. And lastly, the knew now that Lancelot had become Morgana's favorite champion and commander.

Arthur sighed and put down the scroll he'd been reading. "I want each of you to rest well tonight. We all move out before dawn." He nodded to them in encouragement when he saw their hesitant faces. "I already sent Tristan, Bedivere, and Yvain ahead to gather the army together. They'll be ready come morning."

Gwaine stood. "So will we."

He nodded to the king before storming out. The others shared uncertain glances over Gwaine's attitude. It had dramatically changed since that morning, though they supposed that was only natural. Still it was unnerving.

Arthur shrugged in defeat. "Dismissed."

That following morning, Galahad woke slowly from slumber. The darkness outside quietly lifted as he dressed and allowed his servant Erik to put him in armor. The sun rose red into the sky, heralding a day of rainfall. Indeed, by the time Galahad had breakfasted and headed out to the courtyard where his horse stood ready, a light drizzle had begun.

"Lovely weather!" Tor shouted a greeting and laughed as he pulled himself onto his white stallion. "Can't wait for today."

Elyan appeared from a walkway nearby and chuckled. "You're insane, you know that?"

Galahad shook his head with a smile at his friends' antics. He patted Hadwin on the neck before mounting and waved to Merlin who led Hengroen and Gringolet into the square. The servant waved back. Galahad saw Merlin's face fall as he looked at someone behind the young knight. Galahad turned Hadwin to see who it was.

At the top of the steps, Gwaine, Leon, and Arthur stood talking in hushed tones under the overhang to stay dry. After resolving whatever discussion had been had, the three men hurried down the steps to where the entire Round Table and several other knights waited.

Gwaine sent Merlin a smirk as Gringolet reared upon seeing his master, throwing them manservant off guard. "I'll take that, mate. No need for you to hurt yourself."

Merlin looked visibly startled by the humor in Gwaine's voice. He handed over the reins to the knight and stood back.

"Cat got your tongue?" Gwaine patted him on the back. Then he leaned in and whispered. "Better go help the princess. He's not used to doing things by himself."

Tristan leapt atop his brown mare, Passelande, a chuckle escaping his lips at Gwaine's thinly disguised comment. He rode over to Gwaine and the two clasped arms atop their steeds.

"You ready for some revenge, my friend?" Tristan smirked. "Because I know I am."

Gwaine nodded emphatically. "You know that I am."

Leon and Arthur looked at the twenty or so knights gathered. The king held up his hand for silence as he sat on Hengroen quietly. Once the gathered men fell silent, he spoke firmly and with fiery passion.

"Yesterday, Morgana made a fatal mistake. She targeted the Queen of Camelot, and in the process killed six of our own. Two of those who fell belonged to my own kin, and I will not let that slight go unpunished." He continued angrily. "Morgana is a traitor to her family, to her one time home, and it is time her cruel tyranny was ended!"

Several swords were drawn and shouts went up in solidarity. Arthur nodded to them before continuing. "She should've known better than to mess with the knights of Camelot! Together we stand as one, and as one we will defeat the witch." He looked out at his men and nodded. "For the glory of Camelot!"

Almost every knight cheered alongside him. For the glory of Camelot became the battle cry as the knights cantered down through the lower town and reported to their places as commanders of the guards and troops. But Elyan, Leon, Galahad, Gwaine, Mordred, and Percival remained beside the King at all times, his personal guard. Behind the king went Merlin, ever there to protect and serve.

The army moved out like a wave covering the shore of a beach. Most men went on foot, but all the knights stayed on horseback guiding them forward. They estimated a three day trip to the border at the least.

At the end of the first day, the rain finally ceased. The entire army, soaked to the bone, forged onwards only because of the rage in their bones against Morgana. Of the knights, Tristan seemed visibly the most uncomfortable.

"Cheer up, Tristan," Tor laughed as he tossed him a waterskin during their camping that night. "It's not raining any more."

Tristan rolled his eyes but caught the waterskin with ease. He took a drink before responding. "Why didn't we bring any mead with us?"

"You might not've," Morholt smirked.

Tristan visibly brightened. "Who did?!"

"Oh come on," Bedivere chuckled from where he sat roasing a rabbit over the fire. "Take a guess."

Tristan grinned like a maniac and stood from his spot around their campfire. He jogged across the several yards to where the other company of main knights sat.

"Gwaine!" Tristan grinned. "Friend!"

Gwaine rolled his eyes. He gestured with his hand. "You get one bottle, Tristan. They're in my saddlebag by Gringolet." He shouted again after the knight. "Grab me one too, mate."

"Mead or ale?"

"Mead."

"Got it."

Tristan returned with two bottles. He handed one to Gwaine before heading back to his own campsite. Gwaine in turn took a swig, looking around at the busy knights who had yet to set up their sleeping arrangements. Only Percival sat nonchalantly, reading a book he'd borrowed from Merlin and Gaius.

Gwaine's lips curled in a roguish smile. "Reading, Perce? Didn't know you had it in you."

"Some of us now how to do more than smash people over the head," Perce bit back without even giving him a glance.

Gwaine rolled his eyes with a smile on his lips. He went back to watching the scenery around him. Leon and Elyan busily talked with Arthur not far away, while Galahad set up his bedroll nearby. He glanced over at his other friends' campsite to see Tristan enjoying his own alcohol while talking animatedly with Tor and Morholt. Bedivere completely ignored their antics. Gwaine laughed to himself. Bedivere was cut from the same cloth as Leon, that was for sure.

"You look cheerful." Merlin's voice sounded behind him and the man came to sit beside the knight. As Gwaine frowned, Merlin continued. "Don't stop on my account!"

"What did you give Percival?" Gwaine pointed at the other knight with his sword. "What could possibly be so interesting."

"Oh that?" Merlin laughed. "It's called Beowulf. Remember that delegation from the Danes that brought several books? Gaius ended up with one of the copies. It's a popular story there."

"You should read more, Gwaine," Percival laughed when the man made a disgusted face.

"No thank you," chuckled the knight, raising his hand as if to block something. He proceeded to drink.

Leon and Elyan joined them moments later. The quick and witty banter between the friends allowed Merlin to better observe his companions.

Right off the bat he knew Gwaine was putting on his cheerful demeanor as an act. Merlin figured the others had some inkling to that truth as well, and that maybe even Gwaine himself knew that they knew. But Gwaine did it to comfort everyone around him, and it worked. It allowed for a comfort they desperately needed.


	19. Inferno

They rose before the dawn. During the night, a thousand more troops from various villages nearby had joined up, bringing their total to the final four thousand. They moved as one, with Arthur leading beside the Round Table.

Despite them knowing it to be all an act, Gwaine's cheery attitude helped everyone feel better. He cracked jokes all the time, especially with Galahad, Percival, and Tristan. By the end of the third day, most were in high spirits despite the impending darkness.

That night, the third day from Camelot, Arthur called a halt before the sun had completely disappeared. The Perilous Lands lay close, and Arthur decided it a good place to make base camp. The large, open field provided enough space for tents, while the tree canopy behind meant protection from all sides but forward.

"We should have the element of surprise," Arthur reminded his best friends as they stood inside the King's tent. "Morgana doesn't know we're coming."

Leon nodded. "And there lies our best bet for victory."

"It'd be best to march with the sun," Elyan suggested. "However by then, Morgana may find us out. Also, Sire, if you become injured, we need a plan," he pointed out. "Merlin can take you somewhere safe."

"Safer than camp?" Arthur looked confused.

Merlin nodded. "Across the river. No one can get to him there unless they have a boat."

The knights agreed and Arthur finally stopped protesting. "We will rest a few hours. Then we place the troops and march on the Perilous Lands."

The knights dispersed. Merlin, remaining behind, spoke quietly with King Arthur about the plan.

"Someone needs to go after Fira," he reminded the king. "Whether we can save her or not, she is going to be the biggest threat outside of Morgana herself. Perhaps even more dangerous."

Arthur's frown deepened as he sat at his table covered in maps. "I know. I just don't know who to send."

"You don't think the knights will do what's necessary?" Merlin took Arthur's armor and began to clean it as they spoke.

"I'm unsure," he admitted. "Leon, probably. Elyan too. But Gwaine and Galahad? Even Percival I'm not confident." He sighed. "After everything Gwaine's been through these past few days, I don't know if he'd be willing to kill her."

Merlin shook his head. "I wouldn't worry too much, Sire. Gwaine knows his job. He'll do it." Then he frowned, realizing the weight of what he was about to say. "If he does have to kill her, he may never be the same, or ever forgive you for ordering it, though."

"I know. But I'm prepared to live with that if it means the rest of Camelot lives too." The king chuckled without mirth. "Four years ago, when we met, I hated Gwaine. Now I trust him more than almost anyone. It would be hard to lose that." Arthur shook his head as he tapped the table in deep thought. "Though I fear I almost lost it when his brothers died."

"Almost," Merlin agreed. "But you didn't. I think there's a reason Gwaine's druid name is Strength. Physically, he's almost as strong as Percival. But emotionally, mentally… he might be the strongest I've ever come across."

Arthur chuckled and looked at Merlin. "Don't fool me into thinking you're wise. Because I know you aren't."

Merlin laughed with him and finished cleaning the armor. As he placed the last armor piece on a table nearby, Arthur sighed. He ordered Merlin to rest for a few hours.

"Whoever I send after Fira, you need to go with them." He held up his hand as Merlin protested leaving Arthur's side. "You know as well as I, your magic will be needed to stop her."

Merlin huffed but nodded in agreement. He bid the king get rest as well before ducking out of the tent and towards his bedroll by the knights. He found Gwaine sitting awake in front of the fire, playing with his necklace. The silver ring which had replaced the gold one six months ago, glinted in the firelight. The runic writing which decorated it remained indecipherable to Gwaine, but Merlin recognized a few as runes for protection in a dialect of the old language. The rest of the writing that he couldn't figure out, Merlin guessed to be written in the language of the Faeries, considering Lorie, Gwaine's faerie love, had bestowed it upon him.

"Merlin," Gwaine nodded. "You should get some rest, mate."

The warlock shrugged. "I could say the same about you."

Gwaine snorted humorously before throwing another stick into the fire. "I wouldn't know what you're talking about."

There stood a long pause as the friends stared deep into the flames together. The fire crackled and sparked as if alive. Gwaine poked it with his sword to encourage growth. He breathed in deeply.

Suddenly Gwaine froze. "Fire."

Merlin looked confused. "Yes. It's very pretty, what about it?"

But the knight leapt to his feet. He smelled it. There hovered way too much smoke in the air for it to be anything but…

"Fire!"

A shout from a distant camp sounded as another knight confirmed his fears. Somewhere nearby an inferno raged. Gwaine ran off in the direction the smoke came from. A wall of fire had sprung up in front of them, cutting the army off from the Perilous Lands except for a small alleyway in which troops could move. But not _their_ troops.

"They're forcing us into the forest," he murmured to himself. "Why?" Gwaine looked around and realized he had his answer. "To arms! To arms!"

This was an ambush.

When Gwaine reached the King's tent, Arthur had already handed out orders. Gwaine panted, waiting to be told his.

"The eight of us are going after Fira," Arthur explained, gesturing to Leon, Elyan, Galahad, Percival, Mordred, Merlin, himself, and Gwaine. "She should be easy enough to find with Merlin's help." He glanced at the warlock who nodded in agreement. "Tor and Morholt are bottlenecking the entrance from the Perilous Lands and I have the other knights defending camp or pressing deeper into the forest."

The group waited as Merlin performed a spell inside the safety of the tent. He closed his eyes, straining to reach out with his magic to locate Fira. He gasped for air when he finally managed it.

"North East, closing in fast."

"Let's go," Arthur shouted as he sped through the camp and into the trees.

They met with Saxons soon enough. At first the enemy fell like flies, easy prey to the well-trained, battle-hardened knights of Camelot. Mordred stuck close to Arthur, hoping at some point to sabotage the war even further. Gwaine and Leon led the group out, with Elyan and Percival acting as rear guard. Galahad stood beside Merlin to help him sense for magic.

Soon enough the Saxons turned to more formidable enemies. Several battlemages stood in their way, forcing Merlin to use his magic to keep them at bay. Even with his help, however, events took a turn for the worse.

Arthur found himself pinned against a tree. Merlin, busy keeping two other battlemages away, couldn't get to him to help. Only Mordred stood there.

He stabbed the battlemage attacking Arthur, but not before the man managed to slice Arthur's leg deep. The king shouted in pain and fell, unable to put much weight on it for the pain.

"Shall I help him back to camp?" Mordred asked the others as they converged on the king who was being assisted by Merlin.

"No," Merlin shook his head. "We stick to the plan. I'm taking him across the river."

Mordred nodded. "So Gwaine had told me. Very well."

Merlin glanced around to be sure no one but his friends could see him. As Arthur protested loudly he spoke a spell to take them to the safe spot.

"Mordred," Leon began, "I need you to make your way there on foot. Take twenty men with you and defend the river."

The druid nodded and sped off. As the knights made their way forward again, they felt the blistering heat of more flames. The trees had long since burned where they now stood, charred to the ground. But a few flaming bushes lit the darkness.

As they pushed on, Merlin reappeared, fear and regret written all over his face. "She's coming."

"You need to hide," Gwaine snapped. "You're the last resort. If she can't be saved…" he paused. "You need to stop her."

Merlin nodded and ducked behind a still standing clump of trees. He threw up a warding spell to hide his magic.

The knights formed a circle for protection. They knew she was close. Gwaine didn't know how, he supposed intuition. Soon, at the top of a small hillock between two flaming bushes, appeared a figure in black. A light laugh floated towards them as her hood was thrown back.

"You think you can stop me? A _thousand_ men could not stop me," Fira growled with a smirk on her lips.


	20. Stuff of Nightmares

The knights stared at her in shock. Her eyes were red where usually there was green. Her hands, outstretched to her sides, both held balls of flame. Her long, brown hair had been cut short to her shoulders. Scars ran down her face and neck to where she looked more menacing than they had ever seen her.

"Fira, what happened to you?" Galahad spoke quietly.

"Fira is dead." She looked at him sharply, her head whipping to face the most pure Knight of all. "You left her to Morgana."

"We didn't leave you for her," Leon jumped to his defense. "We couldn't get to you."

"She trusted you." Fira glared at Leon in response. "But Morgana was helpful. She showed her the error of her ways."

Elyan adjusted his grip on his sword. "And how did she do that?"

"She let her taste freedom."

They stopped there. That was not what they had been expecting. While it was obvious from her new appearance that there was more going on than allowing her to be free, the knights pondered what she meant.

Fira laughed a little from where she stood atop a hillock. "You still don't understand, do you? Morgana showed her freedom, true freedom. The ability to be who she is without a prophecy, without fear of persecution. She wants to help people like us."

"Us?" Leon sighed. "You mean you and Morgana?"

"What other 'us' would there be?" Fira nodded. "I mean to free Camelot of those who would destroy me for my very existence. Magic will be free!"

Merlin came out from where he had stood watching, observing behind a nearby tree. The hill, the flames. It was her dream coming to fulfillment. He had to stop her.

His mouth was set in a thin line, and he eyed her up and down. At last he spoke. "The 'us' used to be me and the knights."

Fira smiled once she found him nearby. "Emrys! What a pleasant surprise." She walked forward, letting the fire fade from her hands. But the anger had not left her eyes.

Gwaine drew his sword as Fira approached Merlin, to everyone's surprise.

Fira stopped. She tilted her head sideways, her red eyes glaring at the knights, but a smile playing at her lips. "Why are you here, Emrys? Should you not be protecting the Once and Future King?"

"He is safe," Merlin stressed, circling to the side. "I'm more wondering why _you're_ here."

Fira laughed. "Safe? You mean where you and Mordred left him? Across the river?"

The knights halted in shock. Only the Knights of the Round Table had known the full plan. Merlin's face blanched. Panic set in.

"Oh." Fira pursed her lips. "Morgana's already on her way." Smiling sweetly she continued. "You might want to get going."

The knights looked from Fira to Merlin. Merlin looked at them. It was Gwaine who finally spoke.

"Go. We've got this." He flashed Merlin a tight smile. "She'll remember us."

"Fira is dead," she screamed furiously. A few yards away, a tree splintered as her eyes flashed gold, causing the knights to jump.

"The dream, Gwaine," Merlin whispered in a low hiss as he backed up. "It's her cursed dream!"

With a deep breath, Gwaine adjusted his sword grip. He looked from Merlin to Fira, fear and anger written on his face as he realized what Merlin meant. "If she's dead, then we will avenge her death."

The others looked at him in shock.

"Oh good luck with that," She laughed lightly.

It sent chills down their spines. They knew that laugh. They had heard it many times, full of life and hope. Now it was filled with misplaced joy.

She continued on. "Come up onto this hill, let's see who's more powerful shall we? Will it be Strength? Will it be Purity? Honesty? Loyalty?" Her voice became more psychotic as she named them by their prophecy titles. Suddenly her voice dropped. "Or will it be me."

Galahad stepped up next to Gwaine, his sword shining in the fire light that surrounded them.

"Purity and Strength, always joined at the hip." Fira stalked across the grass down from the last remaining part of the hill so she was even with them. "Tell me, Strength, where are your brothers, Intrepid and Courtesy?"

Deep regret passed over his eyes. "Dead," Gwaine said simply, his eyes shining in anger but not directed towards her.

Fira stopped in surprise. "What?"

"Slaughtered, cut down where they stood, by Morgana's servants." Gwaine twisted his sword around again and stepped forward. "But it's our fault really. They should've had their protector there."

Galahad, Leon, Elyan, and Percival hoped Gwaine knew what he was doing. They saw Fira's hands twitch with electricity. Perhaps a trick of the light, but they also thought her eyes looked green for a moment. What they definitely noticed was a small red glowing symbol on her right palm that seemed to pulse. The Heart Stone?

"Yes, Fira would've been an asset to them." She stalked around, pacing back and forth.

"She did an extraordinary job," Gwaine continued, walking closer to her. He saw the mark and decided to try something, if he could get close enough. "Fira was our protector for years. She never let us down."

Again, Fira's eyes faded to green for a moment. Each time her eyes went back to red, the pulsing symbol would intensify its glow. She let her hands fall to her side.

Gwaine sheathed his sword. "Is Fira really so dead that she doesn't feel for the death of my brothers?"

Fira stopped pacing and looked at him. Gwaine stepped closer, so he stood but a foot from her. She looked up, meeting his gaze. Her eyes were a less intense red, and there were tears there. The knights noticed as Gwaine reached behind his back for a dagger. They held their collective breath. Did Gwaine really have the guts to kill such a good friend?

"Fira… Fira regrets that such a thing had to happen," she murmured. "But I do not know how to react."

Gwaine nodded and spoke quietly. "Let me help you."

He took her right hand in his, embracing it. He watched a single tear fall from her eyes onto her skin. He frowned. "I'm sorry."

Quick as a flash, Gwaine drew his dagger and swung with a strength to rival Percival.

Her right hand fell severed to the ground from the top of the wrist down, the glowing symbol dark. Fira shrieked in pain and anger, falling backwards. Her eyes turned gold and Gwaine felt himself choking. He fell to his knees, grasping at the invisible force that was slowly killing him. She sent the other knights flying backwards with her remaining hand.

Then suddenly she fell to her knees, releasing Gwaine. The knights scrambled up, watching as the long scars on Fira's body began to glow scarlet intensely. She screamed and writhed on the ground, but then the scars faded to a dark color. Her eyes went completely black.

"Fira!" Galahad ran forward past the gasping Gwaine.

He took the woman he loved in his arms and kissed her forehead. He cried because the one thing he was certain of was her death: he could not feel her magic. The other Knights ran forward, Percival helping a struggling Gwaine into a seated position while Leon and Elyan joined Galahad. They found the druid Knight sobbing into her chest. Both hung their heads.

But then her open eyes faded from black to green and then closed. Breath entered her lungs again, and her magic warmed her broken body. Galahad watched as color reentered her face, and warmth radiated from her skin. He laughed through his tears and drew her limp body into a hug.

Gwaine watched from where Percival had helped him sit up. Slowly he caught his breath, and spoke after a coughing fit. "We need to stop the bleeding."

Everyone was jolted from their elation back to the immediate danger. They were now back behind their own lines, but fires roared around them.

"She's going to bleed out," Galahad said frantically as Leon picked her up.

Elyan sighed. "We should cauterize it." He looked around and stuck his sword in the fire that wasn't too far away.

While Elyan heated his sword, Percival used his cloak to hold the stump of her forearm tight and slow the bleeding. The knights observed her body.

The scars ran from the base of her skull, down her back and sides. They guessed there were more elsewhere too. The largest one ran up her arm to her chest. Galahad realized in horror that they were above major veins.

"What did Morgana do?" He felt his skin crawling in anger. He stood, fists clenched and jaw set, eyes furious as he watched Leon bring Fira closer to the fire where Elyan was ready.

Leon sat down, he and Percival grabbing her arms and legs respectively. This was going to hurt. Her stump arm was uncovered and Elyan moved quickly with his sword, pressing the burning white-hot metal to her skin. Fira's eyes shot open as it happened, but she let out no scream and only thrashed for a moment.

This alone worried the knights. It spoke volumes about what she had endured if this tragic pain caused her but to rouse from sleep, and nothing else.

Soon, after the stench of burning flesh had left their noses, the deed was done. Her arm was no longer in danger of bleeding out. Leon carried the young woman with him up the hill away from the flames, into the safe zone of the battle. Her eyes shut once more.

After careful deliberation, they kept going until they reached base camp. It didn't take much longer at all, and it would be far more comfortable and quiet.

"Put her in the King's tent," came a shout as they approached the line of tents.

It was Merlin.

"Merlin! How is Arthur?" Elyan rushed ahead of them and embraced the warlock.

"I got him out," Merlin assured them. "He's inside, angry with me for choosing to save his sorry life instead of killing Morgana."

They all went inside and found Arthur, right leg still injured, sitting in a chair and twirling a piece of charcoal in his hands. He looked up upon their intrusion and his mouth opened in shock upon seeing Fira's shattered form.

"Oh my God," he stood from his chair and limped over to where they lay her on the ground.

Her eyes had closed once more. She had blacked out again, probably from pain. Merlin knelt beside her.

"You silly girl," he muttered, feeling her skin and taking her limp hand in his own.

"We need to get back to the fight." Leon sighed. "The battle still rages. For though we are winning, there are a few Saxons left. The forces of Sirs Tor, Morholt, Yvain, Bedivere, and Tristan currently hold them off."

"Go." Arthur nodded.

The Knights of the Round Table leapt up and sped out the tent. But Gwaine and Galahad remained behind.

Gwaine looked altogether serious, far too much so for Arthur's liking. "Permission to stay, sire."

"Granted." Arthur nodded immediately. The fact that Gwaine had used his formal title added to his worry. "Tell me what happened."

And so Galahad launched into the tale. He left out nothing, emphasizing the pain Fira had been in. Gwaine, for his part, stood silently watching Fira. He wondered what was going on inside her.


	21. Cleansing Wounds

_A/N as usual, check yesterday's update before this. It didn't show as updated. Honestly the best bet at this point is to just press the follow button. Then you'll actually know when I update._

 _Almost done with the OC angst. I won't apologize for it, as it is something I laid the groundwork for back in 2012 and finally got to bring to fruition. But also, I just love causing Gwaine pain apparently..._

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Gwaine didn't sleep at all that night. Instead he sat next to Fira on her right, Galahad across from them and Merlin on her left. His eyes remained fixed on her, whether her face, her scarred body, or her stump of an arm. Arthur and the others were asleep. But he kept his vigil in silence. The only time he broke his silence was to take a swig of alcohol every so often.

He had lost so many people over the past year. Destiny be damned, he wasn't going to lose his surrogate sister. The loss of Gareth and Gaheris truly made him realize how much he regretted leaving his family at a young age. Now, sitting in the tent with Fira lying there, he had time to think. Too much time.

A few hours ago, the report that they had won the battle had arrived along with the others, but it brought only a little solace to Gwaine. As he reached over to grab his third bottle of the night, Fira opened her eyes. She looked around without moving, but as soon as Gwaine resumed his position he noticed the change.

He immediately reached over and woke Merlin. "Hey."

The man woke instantly and looked around. At last Merlin's gaze fell on Fira and then met Gwaine's stare.

"Fira," Merlin smiled lightly. "It's Merlin."

She said nothing, flinching back at his voice. Finally she managed to croak out a simple question. "Why?"

"Why what?" Merlin cocked his head.

She elaborated. "Why am I here?"

"We don't leave a man behind." Merlin smiled at her and placed his hand on her remaining hand. "Ever."

Galahad and Arthur had woken up by now but neither said anything, staying as silent as Gwaine.

"Emrys." Fira felt her eyes welling up with tears and pushed herself into a seated position as well as she could. She reached out and grabbed Merlin into a hug as she cried.

Gwaine said nothing. But once the two warlocks broke the hug, Fira looked at her damaged right arm slowly. Memories seemed to flood back into her and slowly she turned to face Gwaine who sat beside her. He tensed.

Fira's face scrunched up as she attempted to stop from crying. When their eyes met she gave an almost imperceptible nod.

"Thank you."

Gwaine gave her a massive hug. He whispered something along the lines of "I'm sorry" into her ear as she clung to him.

When they broke apart, Galahad was kneeling before her. When she saw him, it was the first time they noticed her smile, even though it was a small one and only there for a moment. Merlin and Gwaine helped her sit up and they embraced. The kiss Galahad and Fira shared was full of joy.

No one noticed Merlin slip outside. When he came back in, he brought Elyan, Percival, and Leon. They stood with Arthur.

"My lord," she said, tears running down her face. "My lord I failed you."

"No." Arthur cut her off. "No. We left you behind, we left you to Morgana's whims. What happened from there on out was not your fault. You'd do well to remember that."

"Morgana!" Fira curled into herself. "She'll be coming for me. She says I'm hers."

"You _belong_ to no one," Leon told her immediately.

"She promised me," Fira screamed. "She'll be coming! You need to leave me or you'll all be in danger."

"Fira stop. You are _not_ hers." Merlin used his serious voice, the sort of voice one might use to command dragons. "You belong to no one."

"She'll come," Fira whispered to him. "She wants us dead, Merlin. Me and you, dead at her feet. That's all she wants."

Merlin chewed his lip in contemplation. "If she comes, we fight her. Me and you." He took her left hand in his own and smiled. "Together."

She blinked. "We'll lose."

Arthur and Merlin shared a startled look as she curled into herself and cradled her right arm. The black scars all over her body were starkly contrasted against her pale skin, and with her shoulder length hair they saw more of her skin than ever before. Old scars from battles over the past three years were easy to see.

The others had expressions of pity and apprehension on their faces, unsure of what to do with the broken sorceress. How were they supposed to comfort someone this damaged? They were soldiers, not healers.

Merlin sighed. "I need to check you over for injuries." He turned to the knights as her face froze in fright. "Give us a minute?"

They all nodded and left the tent. But Arthur remained. He shook his head when Merlin went to tell him to leave.

"I am staying. I am still the King, _Mer_ lin, though you might be a wizard." Arthur let his face soften as his gaze landed on Fira after Merlin. "I want to help."

"Fine." Merlin had Arthur hold her in a seated position.

Fira was past caring who saw her semi-naked, but she felt afraid of what she herself would see. As Merlin slowly removed her shirt, leaving her bra beneath, he had to hide his disgust. Arthur attempted to, but he let out a tiny gasp. It was enough to send Fira into sobs. Before them, over her left chest area, was a charcoal colored burn. All the dark scars converged on this dark point above her heart like spider webbing.

She had a huge bruise across her stomach area. He couldn't imagine what that'd been from. As they shuffled her pants off and left her underwear in place, they saw the various old scars of the battles with Firensynn and Radella, massive burns that had since been healed. But there were several lacerations on her legs that had been sewn shut recently.

King Arthur adjusted Fira so that Merlin could see her back. A dozen whip marks remained drilled into the skin. On her left wrist and both ankles were the tell-tale marks of metal cuffs that had been much too tight.

Everything he saw made Merlin sick. Arthur stood and hobbled outside for air. His injured leg stung, but he realized that was nothing compared to what Fira had gone through these past weeks.

"How is she?" Elyan asked quickly as Arthur appeared outside by the campfire.

He stood silently and then gestured to the tent. "Merlin's using a potion to get her to sleep. Go see for yourself if you wish."

Gwaine and Galahad shot up immediately, followed quickly by the other three. When they entered the tent, Fira's eyes were just closing as she drifted into an unconscious slumber. Merlin was bustling about and turned to them.

"I need water." He stuttered. "She… I need to clean her up."

Arthur had already seen to it. A servant entered and handed the closest knight, Leon, a pail of water and a clean cloth.

"What can we do?" Leon asked him as he handed over the bucket and cloth.

Merlin rubbed the back of his neck. He looked Fira's body up and down and then turned to the knights. He saw their stricken faces as they observed their unconscious friend in dismay.

"You can't do anything," Merlin said, his voice resigned. "I don't even know where to start." He knelt down next to his good friend. "Most of these are old scars now, nothing I can help with. I'm just going to clean her up."

Leon nodded. "We should give you space."

He and the others tore their gazes from Fira and Merlin, leaving the two warlocks together in the tent. Gwaine had such hatred in his eyes that Percival actually stepped back from him at first. When Gwaine grabbed his sword and stalked off he ran after him, grabbing his own sword.

"Don't, Gwaine." Percival warned him, running to get in front of the furious knight. "We can't stop her. Not alone."

"Get out of my way Percival," Gwaine barked. "I've lost too many people to that witch."

"Going after her isn't the answer," Percival insisted, grabbing his left arm as he pushed past. "You'll get yourself killed."

Gwaine ripped his arm from Percival's grasp with such force that the other knight couldn't hold on. Sometimes Gwaine's strength shocked him.

But Gwaine stopped walking. "What do you want me to say, Perce? What do you want me to do? Sit there, helpless? As a fourth person I love has their life _destroyed_ by Morgana?"

"We need a plan." Percival shook his head.

Gwaine spat. "We tried that."

"We know we can't kill her with these weapons," Percival continued as he showed Gwaine his sword. "Only Excalibur can kill her."

"My mother Morcades," Gwaine started his list, a cold fury taking over his body. "My brothers Gareth and Gaheris, Lorie… how many more have to leave before Destiny sees fit to end Morgana's wrath!"

Percival nodded. "Something seems to hate you, I'll give you that."

Suddenly Leon, Elyan, and Galahad burst through the trees. Worried looks adorned their faces, but they relaxed slightly as they spotted Percival and Gwaine.

"Where are you two going?" Elyan asked quietly.

Leon saw the hatred in Gwaine's eyes. He stood next to Percival. "Revenge is going to do _nothing_ right now, my friend."

Gwaine's lip twitched, his eyes still fiercely glowing in the moonlight. He looked from Leon to Percival and back. With a curl of his lip he drew his sword and swung at the nearest tree with a grunt of anger.

"Gwaine!" Leon warned the others back with his hands. "All that anger? All that hatred? Don't waste it on a tree. Let it sit and then when we _do_ find that witch, make her pay."

Gwaine halted his swift movements but remained facing the beaten up tree. With a scream he fell to his knees, all the horrible moments of the past few weeks finally catching up with him. The loss of his brothers by Morgana's forces had driven him into a deep depression he hadn't known since he'd gotten to Camelot.

"Come on, Gwaine." Percival laid a hand on his shoulder. "Let's go back."

It took a few moments, during which time the knights held their breaths. If Gwaine decided he was going after Morgana, they weren't sure even Percival could keep him restrained. But eventually Gwaine hung his head, picked up his sword, and marched back to camp in silence.


	22. After Effects

_A/N: **August 1, 2017-** I'd love to chat with you further via PMs if you ever get an account! Thanks for all the praise. Lol my Turtle fic, as stated in the AN, was born of a car trip and hangman so strange things were bound to happen._

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"The full reports have come in, sire." Leon spoke in hushed tones to his king as they sat inside the tent the next morning at dawn. "All of Morgana's men are dead or captured, but we have reason to believe more will be coming in the next few days."

Merlin sat at the far side next to Fira, having placed a cloak over her battered form after cleaning her. He listened in carefully but had much more on his mind.

"How many men did we lose?" Arthur looked at Leon solemnly.

Leon paused before he hung his head sadly. "Two thousand, sire. A third of the knights were killed."

Arthur closed his eyes in pain. Shaking his head, he looked down at the table where he sat and studied it in fake fascination. Eventually he face Leon again and spoke firmly.

"We need to get the wounded back to Camelot."

"I've already sent a few of the swiftest riders back to Camelot to request more carts for those who cannot ride," Leon told him. "We brought seven, but that will not be enough."

"They should arrive in a couple days," Arthur nodded in thought. "Very well. We leave behind a thousand men to protect the remaining wounded, but I need to return to Camelot immediately."

"Agreed."

A whimper sounded from the other side of the tent. The two men turned to look at the wounded young woman Merlin sat with. The warlock bent over her, investigating her wounds again.

"Has she woken yet?" Arthur asked.

Merlin shook his head. "No, she hasn't woken since I gave her the sleeping draught hours ago." His face was drawn in concern.

Leon frowned. "Can she be moved?"

"I don't see why not. I'd like to get her to Gaius as soon as possible anyways." Merlin stood and cracked his back. He felt stiff from sitting still all night on the ground. "If she stays asleep, we'll need a cart though."

"Consider it hers," Arthur nodded. He turned to Leon. "I want us ready to leave in two hours. See the knights all know their assignments and get a cart for Fira."

"And you, sire?" Leon asked hesitantly. "Can you ride?"

"I managed to heal his leg somewhat during the night," Merlin assured him. "He should be fine."

Arthur rolled his eyes. "I can, in fact, speak for myself, Merlin."

Leon gave a short laugh before bowing to Arthur. He went to leave but Merlin called out to him.

"Any sign of Mordred?"

They all tensed. Merlin had revealed his treachery the night before but because of Fira's precarious state, none had discussed it.

"Unfortunately no," he said, shaking his head sadly. "But his betrayal is known to all. He will not be able to show his face around the army and survive."

Arthur nodded. "Good."

With a bow, Leon sped outside to find the other knights. He instructed Elyan to retrieve one of the carts, while Percival, Gwaine, and Galahad spread the plan among the troops. Two hours later, the knights mounted their horses, stood in a line, and awaited Arthur's command to begin moving out.

Fortunately the extra time it would take to navigate with carts mattered little to Fira's health that they knew of. Merlin could keep an eye on her from inside the cart. She continued to sleep.

Fira woke up in a cart being drawn by two horses. Beside her sat Merlin, or more accurately _slept_ Merlin. It seemed to Fira that he had somehow managed to fall asleep sitting up against the cart side. She did her best to fake sleep still as she looked out the back of the cart. She noted that Elyan and Leon rode together, talking quietly in hushed tones. Fira also saw a few other companies of knights near carriages. Sirs James and Yvain escorted one behind and to the left, while to the back right went Sirs Tor and Morholt with their own. The sun sank in the sky behind them.

 _Heading back to Camelot then,_ she realized. _Did we win?_

She risked more fully opening her eyes as an intense pain flooded her body. A whimper escaped her lips as she curled inwards, grabbing at her chest area with her remaining hand. Merlin was instantly awake, concern written all over his face. Leon and Elyan ceased their conversation and watched their interactions with thinly veiled interest.

"Hey there," Merlin joked. "You slept longer than Arthur does!"

Fira strained a tiny smile before letting it fall as a new wave of pain swept through her body. She tried to sit up, to curl herself tighter, but her body wouldn't obey.

"What's hurting?" Merlin asked immediately. When she frowned, he continued. "We'll be to Gaius tomorrow night, until then I'm your physician."

"I don't doubt your skills," she assured him quietly. "I just don't know what's _not_ hurting."

"We don't know the after effects of Heart Stones when forcibly removed," Merlin said sadly. "Usually the victim dies immediately."

"Why didn't I?"

Merlin shrugged. "Your magic seemed to keep you alive."

"Damn."

His frown deepened. He watched her face contort with grief, and finally he spoke again. "Don't talk like that."

"I deserve death, Merlin. It's taken me a minute, but I remember everything. _I'm_ the reason Sirs Lamorak and Philip are dead. _I'm_ the reason Gareth and Gaheris are dead. _I_ killed Jetta." Fira sunk deeper into the pile of cloaks she had been laid upon. "I deserve execution."

"Don't let Gwaine hear you say that," Merlin scolded her as he examined her cauterized right arm. "Or any of the knights for that matter. We've lost enough good people in this war." He cut her off as she went to speak. "And no, not because of you. Because of Morgana."

Fira held his gaze for a long time before responding. "Is there any water?"

Merlin shifted where he knelt and tried to find a waterskin. When he found it, a sigh escaped his lips as he noted it was empty.

Fira shrugged. "Never mind. I'm fine. I don't want to take water from those who deserve it."

With a frown, Merlin shook his head. "As your physician, I say that you are _not_ fine. Emotionally or physically."

Fira glared daggers at him. "No one asked you about my mind, Merlin. I will not be lectured by you on how I should feel." Her voice grew more grave and forceful. "I killed good men, Merlin. I killed and killed and killed, and what am I shown? Kindness. I derailed the entire war effort." Tears sprung to her eyes. "I was the one who brought Mordred into Camelot, vouched for him, against your better judgement and what happened? He betrayed you all. Everything I've done these past nine months has been nothing but failure."

Elyan and Leon, openly listening now, seemed to frown even deeper than before. They had no idea what to do. But Merlin was having none of it.

"Fira, look at me." Merlin stared her right in the eyes. "You are not to blame. Morgana is to blame." When she didn't respond, he sighed. "I'm going to apply some chamomile cream to the burn over your heart. Maybe that will help with the pain."

"It's not just pain," she murmured, her dizziness increasing. "I feel like I'm going to be sick."

Fira allowed him to shift off her shirt again. The black scars had faded to a lighter brown, but the tendrils across her skin still stood out. The large burn over her chest radiated heat when he put his hand near it.

"That isn't good," he muttered in frustration. Sitting back on his left leg, he examined the burn. Leaning closer he whispered to her, "I'm going to use magic on it."

"Don't let people see you," she warned. Another wave of pain in her chest washed over her and she whimpered.

Merlin flashed her his signature smile. "Don't worry about me."

He turned away from everyone and spoke quietly in the Old language. He held his hand on her chest below the neck and his eyes flashed gold. Instantly he knew something was dangerously wrong.

Fira's heart was _off_. He didn't know how else to describe it. It felt strange. He reached deeper with his magic when all of a sudden she cried out. It was so sharp and full of pain, the cart stopped immediately.

Merlin jumped back from her as Leon and Elyan leapt off their horses and ran towards him. Merlin grabbed Fira's hand and felt for a pulse.

"There's no pulse," he frantically glanced around. "I don't know what happened!"

"Just fix it," Elyan demanded as he leapt into the cart.

Merlin nodded and reached out with his magic again. Her heart had _stopped_. He told Elyan and Leon so. Merlin instantly sent an electric pulse into her body.

Fira couldn't move. Merlin sent another pulse through her body and suddenly she exploded into a fit of coughs and gasps. Elyan and Leon sat back against the cart and Merlin laughed in relief. But Fira was having none of it. She burst out in tears, grasping at her chest in a mix of fear and relief. Fira crumpled into the blanket of cloaks and tried to calm down.

Sir Leon hopped off the cart and onto his horse, riding around front. He told whoever was in charge to begin moving again.

"What happened?" Fira gasped through her tears.

Merlin frowned and took her remaining hand in his. "Side effect I suppose. Your heart stopped."

She frowned and turned away. "Will it happen again?"

"I don't know," admitted Merlin quietly.

"If it does," she began as she struggled to sit up and grab Merlin's shoulder, "you are not to revive me, is that clear?"

Merlin looked at her like she'd grown two heads. He narrowed his eyes and shook his head, lowering her back down onto the blankets. He used his dragonlord voice. "No. I am going to keep you alive, Fira. Is _that_ clear? No more of this nonsense."

"Listen to him." Elyan heartily agreed with his assertion. "Because if he doesn't keep you alive, we will."

Fira watched them indignantly. "It's my choice."

"You're in no mental state to be making any _kind_ of decision," Merlin snapped, becoming uncharacteristically forceful.

Fira growled angrily but laid back down in defeat. The massive chest and body pain had disappeared, making it much easier to enjoy herself. But her head throbbed, and her missing hand somehow managed to hurt despite it being gone. Her eyes stung from unbidden tears. She fell quiet.

"Elyan," Merlin whispered in a hush, "if you could find a waterskin for her that'd be key."

"Of course," he said with a nod.

Merlin sat back against the cart side once more, watching as Elyan leapt atop his steed and rode to find water. Fira had drifted back off to sleep and Merlin felt his exhaustion wash over his body. He'd been working non stop for three days, especially in the past twenty-four hours, keeping Fira alive.

It wasn't Elyan who returned with a waterskin. Gwaine, riding atop mighty Gringolet, came around the cart to join Leon behind. His expression seemed a cross between relief and worry, as he only knew what Elyan had related to him. He carefully pulled himself into the cart and sat beside Merlin.

"How's she doing?"

Merlin sighed and shook his head. "I wish I knew."

"You need to sleep, mate," Gwaine muttered, looking his friend up and down, not liking what he found. "You're going to fall out of this cart in exhaustion."

Merlin snorted but shook his head emphatically. "I can't sleep. She almost died ten minutes ago. What if that happens again?"

Gwaine shrugged. "I'll wake you?"

"Funny."

"I'm not joking." The knight looked around and made sure Leon still held onto Gringolet as they rode onward. He turned back to Merlin, a serious expression on his face. "We can't afford to lose you both. Your best bet to help her is for you to be rested."

Merlin frowned but knew the knight spoke truly. He laid himself back against a pile of cloaks and fell fast asleep in minutes. Gwaine nearly laughed. Instead he settled for a small smile as he reached into his satchel and pulled out a bottle of mead. He turned to Leon and lifted the bottle in salute to which the man merely rolled his eyes. Gwaine laughed this time and took a swig.


	23. Healing a Broken Heart

Fira slept soundly through the night. She didn't mind the occasionally bumpiness of the cart, she was just glad to be able to sleep somewhere. Her body still ached from overuse. To her surprise, she didn't see many of the knights during the second day of riding. Mostly her time consisted of either sleeping or convincing Merlin she felt alright. It was a lie, of course. Her sleeping was more accurately described as periods of forced unconsciousness. Her magic and thus her body seemed out of sync. Often she couldn't wake up, even when Merlin tried to rouse her. He knew, but didn't let on.

As the second day drew to a close, the ramparts of Camelot's citadel appeared in view.

Fira found herself trembling in fear like she hadn't experienced in a long while. The sight of Camelot terrified her. All the memories of her murderous acts flooded back. She began to gasp for breath, desperately trying to stave off the panic which began to set in.

Merlin jumped instantly to her side. Confusion was written all over his face. "We're almost home. Is it your heart again?"

"I can't go back," Fira shook her head, her movements jerky and her eyes darting to and fro. "Merlin I can't! If someone recognizes me, I'm dead, rightfully so."

Merlin swallowed a retort about her not deserving death. Now wasn't the time for that. Instead he sat down next to her. "Fira, you're going to be fine."

Fira shook her head violently. "I can't! I can't face her."

"Her?" Realization dawned on Merlin. "Gwen won't hold what you did against you."

"You don't know that," Fira growled, panic laced in her voice.

"I _do_ know that."

Fira looked at him closely. She searched his eyes for uncertainty, but there was none. Slowly she allowed her body to calm down. With a nod, she laid herself back and tried to get a handle on her breathing.

Within the hour, they reached the city. Fira had fallen into one of her periods of unconsciousness. Merlin tried to wake her, unsuccessfully. As the cart stopped, Percival came around the back.

"She okay?" He asked in concern.

Merlin sighed and shook his head. "Sometimes I can't wake her. Could you carry her up to Gaius?"

"Of course!" Percival got off his horse and took Fira in his arms.

She slumped against his body, unable to free herself from slumber. Percival joined up with the other knights of the Round Table as they walked through the quiet, sleeping lower town.

"She alright?" Tor looked at her in concern.

Percival shrugged. "Merlin just wants to get her to Gaius."

They hurried through the streets up to the citadel. Arthur and Merlin came behind on horseback. Percival went straight for Gaius'. Fira began to wake as they got close to the physician chambers and she looked up to figure out who carried her.

"My chest hurts," she murmured to him. "Like before."

Percival nodded in alarm. He opened the door to Gaius' chambers and placed her on the cot as the man began to stir from sleep. He had to go get Merlin.

Percival darted back to where the knights, Arthur, and Merlin stood in the throne room. He went as quick as he could.

"Merlin!" He spoke quickly.

The warlock looked up in fear. "What's wrong?"

"She woke up, said her chest was hurting again." Percival shook his head. "I left her on the patient's cot but she might need you."

Merlin agreed. He tore off in the direction of his chambers, the knights and Arthur following him. He sped into his chambers to find Gaius awake and standing over a horribly in pain Fira.

"Merlin, you probably know a lot more than I do," Gaius nodded, standing back from her.

The warlock nodded and went to her side. The knights stood watching just inside the door, fear etched on their faces.

Fira cried out, curling as far in on herself as she could. Tears stained her face. Merlin grabbed her arm as her hand tried desperately to hold onto something. He placed his other hand on her chest and began using his magic to feel through her body.

"It's her heart again," he said quickly to the others. "Removing the stone must've weakened it."

"Can you do something to help her?" Elyan asked him.

"Please," she murmured to Merlin as he tried to find a way to stop the pain. "Please Merlin, let me die." Another agonizing wave of pain washed through her. She shouted, "Please!"

Merlin and Gaius exchanged a glance. The warlock didn't know if the others had heard her first plea, but from the way Gaius exchanged several glances with the knights, he guessed yes.

Gaius left Merlin's side and joined the others. He beckoned them closer into a corner of the room. Gaius' heart went out to Galahad who looked absolutely destroyed by Fira's current state. He turned to the others. "Tell me what happened."

As Arthur and the knights explained what happened, Merlin dealt with Fira. Suddenly, she fell much too still and quiet. Merlin, after several attempts, manage to use his magic to revive her, to breathe life into her once more. He then put a spell on her to sleep.

"She wanted to die," Arthur finally said a moment later. "Why?"

Merlin put his head in his hands and sat down, exhausted from the last five days. Between the battle and the two and a half day journey back to Camelot, he could barely stand now.

"She's just not in a good place right now. And she was in a lot of pain." Merlin shrugged. "I actually think it'd be best if she doesn't see any of you for a while."

"We're her friends," Galahad protested.

"You're also who she thinks she betrayed the deepest."

Suddenly the door opened to the chambers. Guinevere hurried inside. She kissed Arthur before turning to the others. At last her gaze rested on Fira's sleeping, broken form.

Gwen paused. "Is she our friend again?"

"Yes," assured her husband. "I wouldn't have brought her back if she wasn't."

The queen nodded. "Alright. Then… is she alright?"

Not much of Fira remained visible since Merlin had placed a blanket over her. Merlin shook his head at Gwen and beckoned her over. As she came with him to Fira's bedside, he drew back the blanket to reveal her severed arm and the burn over her heart.

Gwen's hand flew to her mouth. "What happened?"

They launched into the tale yet again. Gaius meanwhile looked over Fira's entire body, double checking the work his nephew and ward had done.

"Is there nothing we can do?" Guinevere asked Merlin and Gaius sadly. "Anything at all?"

"Actually…" Merlin sighed and nodded, rubbing the back of his neck. "I need to find a spell to strengthen her heart. If anyone wants to look through spell books…"

In the end, Galahad, Gwaine, Leon, Percival, Guinevere, and Elyan all stayed behind to look through the books. The group insisted Arthur go to bed and rest. Merlin and Gaius handed out several spell tomes and books to each volunteer.

The read to all hours of the morning. Guinevere bowed out half way through, eager to join her husband. But the knights remained. No one was having any luck until nearly dawn.

"Merlin come look at this one," Galahad beckoned. "This might be it!"

Merlin left Fira's bedside and joined Galahad at the table. He glanced through the words on the page and nodded.

"That's it." But he frowned. "It's a powerful spell."

"You can do it, though, right?" Gwaine asked quickly as they all put down their books.

"Probably."

Merlin told them all to clear the immediate area around Fira's bed. Gaius looked over the spell and got Merlin a chair so he could sit beside her. Rarely, even since his reveal to the knights that he had magic, had Merlin ever done complex spells.

He placed his hands on Fira's chest. Slowly he began to chant the words from the book Gaius held in front of him, quietly in a hush at first but growing steadily louder until he spoke in a normal tone. He closed his eyes and began to feel himself weaving a wall around her heart. He strengthened the muscle carefully. One wrong move and she might have another heart attack.

The knights watched in concern. For the past twenty-five minutes, Merlin had silently been working at his spell. Fira lay still and Merlin's breathing synched with hers. Eventually he opened his eyes and spoke a last phrase. The others saw his eyes flashed gold as the spell ended. He sat back in exhaustion.

He nodded. "Well, she should be alright now."

"Physically," Gaius warned. "Emotionally, she obviously is not healed. Give her some time before you come visiting."

They agreed, some grumbling more than others. There was much work to be done anyways. Arthur had decided the time and place for the next assault: Camlann, in a week and a half. They had to prepare.


	24. Recovery Hurts

Elyan and Percival stood chatting outside a door in the knights' wing of the castle. Elyan sighed and knocked on the door again.

"You coming, Gwaine?"

As if in response, the door swung open and Gwaine appeared in comfortable clothing. He shut the door behind him.

"What, you get bored waiting?" He laughed. "Come on."

Elyan and Percival flashed him dramatic eyerolls before they followed the man through the citadel. Tonight they were joining a few friends in the Rising Sun to relax. A week had passed since their return to Camelot, and it was time to begin preparing for the next battle. And of course the best way to prepare involved drinking their sorrows away.

"Where's Leon?" Gwaine asked suddenly as they walked together through the lower town as evening fell.

"He's busy with Arthur," said Percival. "He's going to join us later."

"Good. He'll need a drink after all that work," Gwaine chuckled.

As they reached the Rising Sun, the light had gone from the sky. Inside the tavern, a roaring fire illuminated the room comfortably. They proceeded to the bar and bought drinks before joining the other knights at the large table.

Tristan and Bedivere sat together across from Tor and Morholt. Upon the arrival of the three men, tankards were raised in greeting.

"Now the party can really start," Tristan laughed as he scooted down the bench for Gwaine. "What took you boys so long?"

"This guy." Percival pointed at Gwaine.

Gwaine rolled his eyes. "Anyone seen Merlin tonight? I invited him down here. God knows he could use a break."

"He still busy helping Gaius treat Fira?" Bedivere asked.

Elyan nodded. "More like busy keeping us out. He won't let us even see her."

Tristan laughed and shook his head incredulously. "I don't know how he gets away with half of what he does. Not that I mind of course. I can't stand the servants who let themselves get pushed around."

Suddenly Tor looked up and saw the man they all spoke of. He raised his tankard. "Speak of the devil!"

"Hey guys," Merlin grinned. "Long day?"

"You have no idea," Gwaine replied with a nod. "Arthur called a council meeting today. Talk about boring."

The others grunted their apologies to him for his misfortune. Gwaine handed Merlin the extra tankard of mead he'd bought, insisting the warlock relax. The man took a drink immediately.

"How's your patient?" Elyan asked him quickly.

Merlin sighed and shrugged, putting the drink down. "You know, she's doing pretty well for almost dying. She should be fit to go to Camlann if she wants to."

"Her talents would certainly be welcome," Bedivere nodded.

Percival agreed but still look hesitant. "She shouldn't rush back into fighting. She was pretty shaken."

"If it was up to me, she'd never see combat again," Merlin muttered. He took another drink. "But it's not up to me. It's up to her this time."

"All I know is this." Gwaine took a swing before slamming his tankard down in emphasis. "Now that she's back, I'm going straight for Lancelot. And I'm gonna kill him."

Nods of agreement showed how much they all understood. Gwaine, though visibly in a better place than a week ago, still blamed the resurrected knight for his brothers' deaths.

"I for one can't wait to find Mordred and kick his ass," Tristan muttered. "That traitor…"

Tor nodded. "Agreed! He deserves nothing less than death for his treachery."

Several hours later, Elyan and Merlin both made to leave. Together they walked back to the Citadel. It was dark out, but a few sconces lined the road and provided some light to walk to.

"Merlin, is Fira fit for visitors yet?"

He sighed. "Probably?" He turned to Elyan. "If you want to come by tomorrow, mid morning, you can see her."

Elyan nodded quickly. "I'll be there."

* * *

She sat in her chambers alone, sipping a mug of hot blackberry tea. Her eyes traveled along the surface of the wooden table, tracing and outlining every twist and turn of the knots and dips. Though her pain had lessened since they'd rescued her a week before, she still felt stiff and wobbly on occasion.

None of the knights had come to see her since their return to Camelot three days prior. She didn't mind the solace that came from quiet isolation. She just didn't know Merlin was to blame for this solitude. He had ordered them to keep away from her, for her own sanity, as Gaius' interim assistant. He knew she felt guilty for everything that had happened and didn't want the knights inadvertently adding to that.

On top of the guilt she felt for the several murders in her wake, Fira wrestled with questions. Morgana had shown her things that were _real_. Real suffering, real pain, of their kind. Wasn't it her duty as a person of magic to protect others like her? Morgana had an evil heart, but her mind remained on the right idea. And Fira was beginning to doubt Arthur would ever lift the magic ban.

A tiny knock on the door interrupted her ruminations. She stood from the table slowly, wobbling slightly from her weakened state. As she approached the door, she posed a question in a small voice.

"Who is it?"

After a moment, an equally quiet voice responded. "Elyan."

Fira sighed but opened the door. Merlin stood beside him, looking not particularly happy. But evidently he had allowed Elyan this chance to speak to her.

"Come on in," Fira smiled sadly. "What do you need?"

Elyan chuckled as he and Merlin entered. Merlin did not like letting Fira out of his sight these days.

"I don't need anything." Elyan sat down at the table. He noticed her drink and looked at it. "Oh, what kind of tea?"

Fira sat back down in her spot and Merlin sat at the other side. "It's blackberry."

"Smells good."

Merlin smirked. "Would you like some? Is that what you're trying to say without saying it?"

"Yes please," said the knight sheepishly.

The older warlock shook his head and laughed. "At least Arthur _tells_ me what he wants."

"Orders, more like," Elyan reminded him.

Merlin made a face. "True." He went to the stove and found there was enough water for two more cups of the tea.

"So," Fira began quietly, running her finger along a crack in the wood table with all her concentration. "How's everyone doing?"

Elyan took a deep breath. "Well. Arthur's busy trying to organize our remaining forces for the next battle, and Leon's helping him. Gwaine's been drinking quite a bit." He sighed. "Not that that's a surprise. Percival and Galahad have been trying to make themselves useful around the city. It's the same for Tor and Morholt too."

Fira nodded, still not meeting Elyan's gaze. "Good. Glad to see everyone keeping busy."

"Yes," the knight agreed. "The city is on edge. It's ready to explode. We need to kill Morgana soon, or things might get worse."

Both Merlin and Elyan noticed how uncomfortable Fira became, shifting in her seat slightly and tapping the side of her cup absentmindedly.

"What's up?" Merlin looked her in the eyes.

She sighed and continued to play with her drink. "What if… what if Morgana has some truth on her side."

Both men startled. "What?!"

"Morgana showed me things. Horrible acts of violence against magic users, men, women, and children of all ages." She frowned. "And they weren't lies. The treatment of those of us with magic is unfair, and the King showing favor on myself and Merlin hardly helps his case."

"What are you saying?" Elyan looked at her in surprise.

She shrugged. "Honestly? I don't know. Morgana wants to help us. People with magic, I mean. Is she evil? Yes. Does she deserve death for her crimes? Yes. But can we learn from her too? Yes." Fira sighed again and shook her head. "Arthur would do well to realize this war is happening because he and his father before him ostracized and persecuted an innocent group of people. It can only improve when the persecution ends."

Merlin watched Fira closely before he too let out a sigh. "You're not wrong. But Morgana is too far gone to reconcile with us. We need to destroy her before she destroys us."

"Perhaps." Fira nodded. "And I will do as my king commands. But when this is over… I don't know what I'm going to do."

"What do you mean?" Elyan shook his head.

She chuckled ruefully. "I mean I might leave, go somewhere I won't feel the need to lie every day to save my life. Once Morgana is done, so is my purpose."

"Your purpose," Elyan said, placing a hand on her own, "is to be our friend and we to be yours. Have faith in Arthur. Have faith in us, Fira."


	25. An Audience

Fira stood next to Merlin and Elyan near the door to the Physician chambers. She hadn't left the safety of those walls in many days and felt terrified at the prospect of walking out. But the time had come for her to do so.

She straightened up. "Where are we going?"

"Training field. Arthur is holding a special practice with the Round Table," Elyan told her with a smile. "Tristan and Bedivere too."

Merlin flashed her a smile. "Ready?"

Fira took a deep breath. She used her hand to straighten her deep purple dress before nodding. Merlin opened the door dramatically and Elyan walked out first. Fira took a step out to door. She tried to hide her right arm from passersby, scared of what they would think of her.

The three companions made their way through hallways and corridors to the training fields. The majority of the field stood empty. Here and there an occasional knight practiced against a dummy, but by and large, the only group of knights consisted of the Round Table.

Gwaine and Tristan battled one another, deeply concentrating on survival. Arthur had paired off with Leon. The others traded pairings until all began practicing once more.

Elyan bid Merlin and Fira goodbye as he jogged into the armory to find his chainmail and armor. The two warlocks watched in silence. Fira continually fidgeted with her arm, unsure of how to hold it.

"Your missing hand is nothing to worry about," Merlin assured her quietly. "Really."

"Easy to say when you've got two hands," she bit back quickly. She immediately regretted her remark as Merlin fell silent. She sighed. "Sorry. I didn't mean to snap."

Merlin smiled at her. "No need to apologize. I'm sure it'll take getting used to."

"I can barely care for myself now," she murmured.

"Guess it's time you became a Lady of the court and got a maidservant," Merlin teased her quietly.

She let out a light laugh and shook her head. With her remaining hand she swatted Merlin's arm. As a smile rested on her face, she rolled her eyes. "Merlin if I ever have a maidservant, pinch me."

"I'll remember that," he assured her.

The knights had noticed the warlocks, alerted to their presence by Fira's laugh. Arthur called them over when he broke his practice with Leon. They quickly walked towards the king, though Fira averted her eyes and hid her arm.

"Ah, Fira, good to see you about," Arthur nodded. He smirked. "I suppose this means my manservant can return to his full duties?"

"Why? Hard to get dressed on your own, sire?" Merlin said back quickly.

Gwaine, standing nearby and conversing with Tristan, let out a laugh at Merlin's comment. Arthur looked livid.

"I could have you thrown in the stocks, Merlin," he reminded the servant.

Merlin smiled. "Ah, but then who would do your laundry, write your speeches, and make sure you get to council meetings on time?"

Arthur was about to speak when Fira interrupted. She cleared her throat and looked him straight in the eyes.

"My lord, I request a formal audience with you." She looked at him firmly, not wavering.

He and the knights seemed confused. "What for?"

"Considering I could be executed for that, I'd rather not say," she muttered, glancing at the ground in anger.

Arthur took a deep breath and looked around. Finally he nodded. "Very well. After training, we shall go to the Round Table. Who shall be present?"

"Merlin, Gaius, Queen Guinevere," she glanced at the others and nodded to them. "And the Knights of Round Table."

The rest of the training went by quietly. Fira had left soon after making her request and Merlin had gone with her. The knights wondered what she needed to discuss, but they knew it probably wasn't pleasant. Elyan seemed the most troubled but refused to divulge anything he might've known.

Fira went straight for the meeting room. She walked through the corridors quickly, conscious of the strange glances she received from servants she passed. The end of her arm still stayed bandaged to keep it safe, but her missing hand certainly became a point of conversation for others.

As she opened the door to the Round Table, she slipped inside silently. The three large windows in the circular room illuminated the table and cast strange shadows. Fira walked around the table, resting her left hand on the wood affectionately. She traced each ancient word.

 _Strength, Purity, Patience, Loyalty, Honesty, Bravery, Valor, Intrepid, Courtesy, Faith, Courage, Magic, Hope._

She paused at Gareth's and Gaheris' spots and put her finger in the carvings. Her heart went out to Gwaine and his deceased brothers. She hoped they were somewhere pleasant now, after death. Tears rose to her eyes and she sniffled but managed to hold them back. She stood there, staring down at the words "Intrepid" and "Courtesy," for such a long time that she didn't hear Arthur, Merlin, and Gwaine enter the room.

"The others will be here shortly," Arthur said as he went to take his seat.

Fira glanced up from her ruminations and straightened herself. With a simple nod, she took her seat. _Faith._ She found it ironic that Destiny had named her such. Yet here she was, losing faith in Arthur, in herself, in her quest to protect Camelot.

Gwaine and Merlin both sat and soon the rest of the Round Table arrived. Guinevere took the seat beside Arthur which Mordred had often used. _Hope._ Gaius sat in Gareth's old seat. Once all had gathered, Arthur spoke up.

"You requested an audience." He nodded to her, gesturing for her to begin. "You may proceed."

Fira took a deep breath. "First, I wish to apologize. I have harmed Camelot more than anyone has in this war." When a few went to protest she held up her hand. "Don't."

The room quieted down, with only a few grumbles originating from Gwaine's edge of the table.

She continued, staring straight at Arthur. "Second, I wish to formally request that magic be made legal in Camelot."

The room fell eerily silent. Arthur looked at her carefully. She watched as his expression became guarded, a million thoughts running through him. Fira only averted her gaze to glance at Merlin who sat beside the King. He seemed pensive.

Finally Arthur sighed. "Fira, what you ask is not possible right now."

"Make it possible," she quipped. "You're the king."

Arthur straightened up and shook his head. "I will not legalize magic while Morgana still lives. That is asking for trouble."

"What is asking for trouble is employing two sorcerers to fight for you without safety for them and _illegally_." She glared at the table before raising her eyes again, trying to calm herself down. "If someone finds out I or Merlin have magic, we're dead. No harm comes to you. Just to us."

Merlin sighed. "Fira, it's a risk we take."

"It's a risk _you_ take maybe. But getting left behind for Morgana to torture and use as her own because no one could know _I_ had magic..." She clenched her fists in fury. "That changed my perspective on things _ever_ so slightly."

Arthur had no response. How could he respond to that? She wasn't wrong.

"There are innocent people out there. Men, women, _children_ who are raped and murdered because they use magic." Fira slammed her hand on the table, causing everyone to jump. "They are persecuted because this kingdom holds to unjust laws."

"This kingdom isn't ready for that kind of change." Arthur shook his head.

Fira frowned. "I ask you one more time, as a friend and loyal subject." She paused for emphasis before speaking softly, desperately. "Please, Arthur. Change the laws on magic."

He frowned as well. "No."

Fira closed her eyes but nodded. Tears sprung up unbidden and she opened them. She stood from the table and bowed.

"As you wish." She made eye contact with him again. "I will serve you, for you are my king, until Morgana is dead. After that I will not stay. I will not support a kingdom where people are abused for using a gift." With that she bowed, and left the room quickly, fearing the tears in her eyes would soon fall.

As the door shut behind her, the room remained silent. Each member of the Round Table had wrapped themselves up in their own thoughts. Merlin, torn between his love of magic and his love of Camelot and Arthur, felt ripped apart. He knew exactly where Fira was coming from. He had wrestled with these doubts himself, for years.

Finally Gwaine spoke up, his voice but a grumble. "Why won't you legalize it? You're only alive because of magic."

Leon shook his head. "He's right. Mass confusion would ensue. We can't risk that during war."

"And yet, do you deny a portion of your subjects are being horribly mistreated because of this law," Tor pointed out. "Somerset had its issues, but this was never one of them."

With a shake of his head, Arthur continued. "I do not deny it."

"Then you must legalize it," Morholt responded, his voice barely above a whisper. "What other choice is there?"

"Maybe once Morgana is dead," Arthur assured him. "Perhaps."


	26. Battle Plans

"Come _on_ Merlin!" Arthur shouted at his manservant on the morning of their day to travel. The sun had yet to rise. "Hurry up!"

"I'm coming!" Merlin ran over to him, sword in his hand. He handed Excalibur to Arthur. "Don't want a dull sword on the day of battle, do we?"

"That sword doesn't get dull," Sir Leon reminded him.

Merlin looked at him in exasperation. "Well… I sharpened it just in case!"

The Round Table stood out in the courtyard. Most of the knights busily stormed about, receiving assistance from servants with armor and weapons. Leon and Arthur, side by side, spoke quietly as Merlin went and brought Hengroen to his king.

"Any sign of Fira this morning?" Leon asked Merlin. "Is she coming?"

"She'd left before I woke up," Merlin replied with a shrug.

As they spoke, Fira appeared in the courtyard leading Aland. Her chainmail shirt sparkled as the first rays of sunlight found their way into the Citadel. Her short hair bounced about her face, getting in the way of her vision. She blew on some hair to get it out of her face. As she saw her friends not far away, she pulled herself onto Aland and sat quietly.

The plan for the day was simple. Camlann stood merely a day and a half's ride from Camelot City. Arthur and the remaining two thousand men would meet up with another thousand on their way. Three thousand was the best they could hope for.

"Mount up," Arthur called out. "It's time."

As he went to do as instructed, the King found Guinevere standing in the open doorway. He left Hengroen with Merlin to go say goodbye once more.

"Be careful, Arthur," she sniffled. "I can't bear to lose you."

Arthur took cupped her cheek his hand. "I'll come back. I always come back."

Gwen nodded, tears streaming down her face. But she forced a smile. "You have to come back. For our child."

"For our child." He leaned down a placed a hand on her abdomen. "I'll always come back."

With a kiss, he departed. Gaius stood beside the Queen, comforting her. Her worried expression caused Merlin to fear for Arthur even more. The word _Camlann_ struck fear in his heart. Was Destiny trying to warn him?

Gwaine, Galahad, and Percival rode together as a single group. Fira came behind them slowly, her eyes downcast as she averted them from the glances sent to her by other knights. Sirs James, Bartholomew, and Yvain, all looked on her with eyes of pity and confusion. She understood why they thought this way… What use was a healer with only one hand? Jerked out of her ruminations by a voice to her right, she looked up to find Leon next to her. He frowned.

"Does it hurt?"

"A little. Not as bad as the chest pain had been."

"Well that's good at least."

They dropped back into silence. Fira's black Pendragon cloak bounced behind her, a symbol of her allegiance to the king. But how long would that allegiance last? Fira shook her head absentmindedly.

"Did you mean it?" Leon asked her quietly, not looking at her.

Her brow furrowed in confusion as she glanced between the knights and the road ahead. "Mean what?"

"That you will leave."

"Yes." She answered without hesitation.

Leon nodded. "Why? What prompted this? Was it because we allowed your capture?"

"No," she immediately assured him. "But Morgana showed me visions of many victims. They will not leave my mind. I do not understand how you could've worked under Uther. He executed children!"

Leon fell silent, contemplating her comment. "I grew up in a time and place where all thought magic evil. It is only now that we see magic is _not_ inherently that way."

"I suppose."

"Fear is powerful," Leon murmured.

At that, Fira fell silent in turn. She knew he spoke truly. She herself had experienced fear. In fact, fear drove her decisions now more than it ever had. Fear of execution, fear of persecution, fear of failure. Perhaps she too harshly judged Arthur.

Gwaine dropped back, looking at her oddly. He had a comical expression written on his face. "You're thinking pretty hard. Don't hurt yourself."

"It's you who would get hurt thinking," Fira bit back, smirking.

Gwaine grabbed his chest. He gasped. "You wound me!"

"Good." Leon smirked at him. "You need to be knocked down a peg."

"He's already shorter than you, no need to make him feel worse," Fira mocked him quickly.

Gwaine huffed. "You know, I don't have to take this." He swung his hair to the side and sat up straighter. "I'm a knight of Camelot!"

Galahad laughed from the few feet in front. He twisted in his saddle and called back, "Maybe try acting like it sometimes."

"Respect your elders, Galahad," Gwaine barked back. "You're barely an adult!"

Fira laughed but urged Aland forward to where she rode next to him. She held out her hand to her beloved Galahad and he turned, winking back at Gwaine. He leaned over, surprising everyone, and kissed her quickly. Several cheers and exclamations went up from the boys behind. Fira laughed and shook her head.

"Get a room," came a shout from down the field.

Fira rolled her eyes with a smile as she registered the voice as Tristan's. She stuck her tongue back at Gwaine who merely shook his head and chuckled. Leon scoffed.

The day continued on, uneventful. Fira spent most of her time near Galahad, with a bit of other time spent near Merlin. The older warlock seemed off… Fira couldn't quite put her finger on it. She could tell he was afraid, which didn't seem exactly abnormal. But the fear he harbored originated from a deeper place than most.

As the sun dropped beneath the horizon, the company pressed on. Arthur planned to reach the outskirts of Camlann that night. And so they continued on, hours into the night. When at last they stopped, the open field became their base camp. The knights erected tents and campfires. Quickly they settled in, yet still there remained only a few hours until dawn.

"Get what rest you can," Arthur told his forty knights. "Tomorrow we fight."

The knights dispersed, leaving Merlin and the king standing deep in thought. Neither spoke until Merlin finally revealed what was on his mind.

He sighed. "Morgana is here. I can feel it."

"Good." Arthur nodded, walking back to his tent. "It's time she faced us."


	27. Battle of Camlann: Part One

_A/N: The only way I could get this to read as updated was to upload two chapters, so the previous one is new too._

 ** _August 3, 2017:_** _Lol I laughed so hard when I read your review regarding Merlin knowing to use electricity. Mostly because I ask myself that and still don't have a good answer. Basically I wrote the scene and loved it and then realized medieval medicine... wasn't good enough for that. My best response would be it was instinctual... Something to jolt her awake. That's what I tell myself. But now, you're almost to the end! Thank you soooo much! I adore these reviews._

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 _"And there he cried on height, 'Where art thou Lancelot? Come forth thou false traitor knight and recreant, for I am here, Sir Gawaine!'"_

 _\- Le Morte D'Arthur_

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It rained for several hours until dawn. Fira couldn't help but feel it reflected everyone's mood. This seemed to be an even more important battle than the previous, at least to most involved. Arthur grew tight-lipped when the sun dawned, refusing to do much but speak to Gwaine and Leon and Merlin.

As the battle drew near and the rain subsided, Arthur arranged his warriors in the rocky battlefield. Across he saw Morgana's forces, closing in. He gave some small speech to his knights, but Fira wasn't listening. She stood behind everyone, as none knew her true purpose. She tried to keep an eye on Gwaine. Of all the knights of the Round Table, it was he that worried her the most. She knew his vendetta against Lancelot could end terribly.

Finally the soldiers moved out, eager to attack Morgana's Saxons. The knights left her sight, but she through up the invisibility spell Morgana had taught her, following them close by. Fira couldn't find Merlin, but she assumed he was with Arthur.

The screams and shrieks of battle soon reverberated throughout the rocky field. Fira stepped over dead bodies, watching over the knights of the Round Table closely. To her left went Leon, Percival, and Elyan, to her right went Tor, Morholt, and Galahad. In front of her, Gwaine marched on, no fear is in heart.

The clanging of swords together shook her to her very core. She could hear nothing above the din, nothing above the terror of war. Her heart sunk. Her Knights had split up to cover more ground. The only one she could find was Gwaine. So she followed him.

Gwaine tore through the enemy. He maintained the title of best warrior of Camelot for a reason. Years of life on his own as a Knight Errant had forced him to learn tricks no one else knew. But that didn't make him invincible. Several bruises had already formed on his left arm from where a mace caught him. A small cut went across his forehead from a throwing knife that barely grazed him.

Overall, he felt quite pleased with himself. Every time he cut down an enemy soldier, he reminded himself that he fought for Gareth and Gaheris. And then he remembered Lancelot. He found it remarkable that despite the chaos around him, he remained calm. His anger boiled under his skin, clawing its way out. But he used _it_ , it didn't use _him_.

With a particularly harsh swing, Gwaine decapitated a preoccupied battlemage. As he realized what kind of enemy he'd killed, the thought that Lancelot may be close by infected his mind. Now the rage came in full force. Two more battlemages and a sorcerer stood before him. The path to them stayed clear as all cowered back from their wrath. But not Gwaine.

Gwaine swung his sword around to get a better grip. He smiled. As he geared up to engage them, a voice shouted.

"Stop!"

 _Lancelot._ Gwaine halted and felt himself tremble with wrath. The man who'd murdered his brothers stood right behind the magic users. He went to charge again but the voice spoke, cutting through the chaos and noise easily.

"I'll deal with this one." Lancelot nodded to Gwaine as the battle mages and sorcerer stepped away. "Deal with the witch."

Gwaine glanced up to see Fira had dropped her invisibility spell. She could handle herself, he was sure. This fight was his and his alone.

"Lancelot!" Gwaine barked angrily. "You killed my brothers. Prepare to die."

"Always so perceptive, Sir Gwaine," Lancelot growled mockingly, circling the knight, sword at the ready. "Too bad your fighting skills are no match for mine. And I have the favor of the Lady!"

Gwaine stepped forward, swinging his sword above his head. Lancelot blocked it carefully, pushing back with his own ferocious swing. But the knight remained standing, no worse for it. They circled each other again, kicking up dirt and rocks with their footwork. This time Lancelot attacked first. Gwaine parried, jumping to the side as Lancelot lunged forward.

Behind them, Fira fought the battlemages. She relied solely on magic, for she had never mastered the left hand for swords. Throwing caution to the wind, she through lighting sparks at both the mages, electrocuting them. All that remained was the sorcerer.

"Darian!" Fira spat furiously. "You're a traitor to the druids."

He shook his head. "I tried to help you in your destiny, Nyx."

"Go to hell," Fira growled. She shot out her single hand. "Forbærnan!"

A massive fireball struck the priest of the Old Religion in the chest. He screamed in pain and anger. With his staff, he smacked Fira in the jaw, sending her sprawling.

"It is _you_ who have betrayed your kind." Darian struggled to walk forward, his chest flaming from the magical fire. "You turn away from the persecution and prejudice, safe in the castle."

Fira shook her head, trying to get her bearings. She pushed herself up from the ground. Heaving herself to her feet, Fira sent Darian flying back against a large rock formation. She turned to check on Gwaine.

The two Knights remained locked against each other. Gwaine decided he'd had enough. With a massive kick to Lancelot's knee, his opponent buckled. Gwaine used that chance to disarm him, the sword flying to his feet. Gwaine smiled.

"Goodbye, _old friend,"_ he sneered.

He stabbed Lancelot in the abdomen, dropping him to the ground. Gwaine, satisfied, turned away to watch as Fira disposed of the priest once and for all. So it was to both their surprises when Gwaine felt a sharp pain.

"Gwaine!" Fira screamed in horror.

The man turned around to see Lancelot had picked up his sword and it dripped with fresh blood. The pain in his side was all he needed to register what had happened. As Lancelot fell dead at last, Gwaine dropped to his knees, clutching at his side.

Fira ran over to the knights. She took him in her arms and whispered an ancient word for a teleportation spell. To the surprise of those around them, Fira and Gwaine disappeared in a rush of wind.

They reappeared in the King's tent. It stood empty for which she felt immeasurably thankful. Gwaine gritted his teeth as Fira removed his layers of armor and his chainmail. The lack of a second hand made it slow going. She grabbed her medicine bag, tears streaming down her face.

"I killed him," Gwaine smirked, before closing his eyes.

"Stay awake," she barked at him.

She realized quickly that she needed someone to help with the armor. Glancing around, Fira made a choice.

"I need help here!" Fira shouted, running to the tent entrance. "I need a healer!"

A man came running over and looked at her strangely. "You are a healer, and how did you get here?"

She showed him her severed arm and he nodded, understanding that half of his question.

"I just need you to remove his clothing. I'll handle the rest alone," she ordered. "Please!"

"You think you can deal with this by yourself?" The man shook his head. "Fine. Only because the king left orders that you were in charge though."

He made quick work of Gwaine's armor and clothing. Upon Fira's insistence he left soon after as she held the bandages tight against Gwaine's open wound. Blood continued to spill from his side, rivers of scarlet liquid staining the grass.

She began to chant in the Old Religion, praying that the healing spell she'd memorized before the battle would work. It did… somewhat. The wound stitched itself together, her hands glowing a brilliant gold.

"Get away from him!" Shouted the man from before. "Sorceress!"

Fira sighed and glared at the ground. She hadn't finished the spell yet. Without turning to look at him, she spat back. "If I stop now, Sir Gwaine is going to die. Do you want that on your conscience?"

He wouldn't have any part of it. "I said move!"

Fira closed her eyes and used her magic to send him flying into the table. "Sorry." She went back to focusing on the healing spell as he fell into unconscious slumber. She muttered again. "You're welcome to arrest me once I finish healing him."

"Gwaine, do you hear me?" Fira hissed. "Come on. Please?"

The knight slowly opened his eyes. "I'm in so much pain right now. Why am I in pain?!"

She smiled, laughing. Putting a hand on his chest she responded cheerfully. "You almost died."

"Let's not do that again," he muttered before pushing himself up so he could look around. His head hurt and he touched the wound on his forehead. "That caused me all this pain?"

"Uh, no." She frowned. "I healed your side wound."

Gwaine blinked at her. He looked at the smashed table and the unconscious healer. With a frown, he turned back to Fira. "He found out?"

"Yeah."

"Shit."

"Yeah."

Gwaine pulled on his shirt that lay strewn to the side. His left arm, covered in bruises, had a hard time moving. He felt absolutely exhausted.

"How's the battle faring?" He tried to look outside the tent through the flap but had no luck.

Fira sighed. "I don't know."


	28. Battle of Camlann: Part Two

A great commotion outside caused Gwaine and Fira to stand and investigate. He leaned on her for some support and hobbled outside the tent. Men pointed up at the noon sky and shouted expletives. In the sky above soared two dragons. The larger, golden-red in the sunlight, gave a great roar and spewed fire from its maw. The other, smaller, white, circled it, maneuvering around the larger one. Together they tussled, fighting tooth and claw.

Elsewhere on the battlefield, Arthur had found the man he searched for. Both, having been locked in swordplay for at least ten minutes, separated upon the sight of the two dragons. Merlin, nowhere to be seen, had given Kilgharrah a single command: defeat Aithusa.

"That's a big dragon," Mordred murmured, stepping back to readjust his grip.

King Arthur nodded, amazement on his face. But as Mordred charged again, he brought up his sword and glared. "Give up, Mordred. You can't win."

"I can and I will," Mordred spat.

The traitor brought his sword up again for another head swing. But Arthur parried easily. He whacked Mordred on the arm, forcing the young man to drop his sword. Mordred screamed in anger, kicking Arthur to the ground. The man picked up his sword and held it at Arthur's stomach

"This is for Kara." He smiled. "Stomach wounds are the worst wound. You'll die _painfully_."

As he began to drive the sword into the King's abdomen, Mordred found himself flying backwards. An old man in a red robe with long, white hair and beard, huffed. Arthur clutched at the wound in his abdomen. It wasn't deep, but it stung unimaginably. He scooted against a rock wall, forcing himself to sit up. The old man rushed over.

Arthur stared at him. "Merlin?"

"Yeah." Merlin nodded.

Arthur forced a laugh. "Wow you look old."

Suddenly a shout was heard behind them. Merlin spun around to find Morgana, teeth bared like an animal, pick up the sword Mordred had used.

"You will _not_ get away!" She hissed furiously. "Emrys!"

"Morgana," Merlin shook his head. "I should've let you die long ago. But I didn't. Everything since then has been my fault." He frowned. "I blame myself for what you've become."

"I have become more powerful than you could ever imagine," she said quickly.

She threw her hand forward but Merlin raised his hand to block her spell. Morgana stared in horror as her spell failed. She raised her sword.

"You cannot kill me," Morgana laughed. "But I can kill you!"

She ran at Merlin, who raised Excalibur in a block. Their swords rang out clear across the battlefield, but Merlin had had enough. He used his magic to take her sword and dropped it at his feet.

"It's over, Morgana," he murmured sadly. "This is done."

She dove for the sword, and Merlin stabbed. She looked at him in amazement as she felt all the wounds she'd sustained in the past come crashing down on her.

She managed to gasp out a simple question as Merlin held her. "How?"

He pointed up at the sky where Kilgharrah managed to knock Aithusa to the ground. "Dragon."

Morgana died in Merlin's arms, and he allowed a single tear to fall for her. He hadn't made up what he said: he blamed himself for her descent into darkness. If he had only shared his secret with her, if he hadn't poisoned her and driven her further into Morgause's clutches… perhaps she would've been an ally, not an enemy.

Aithusa crashed down right near them, and Kilgharrah held her down with his front legs, pinning her wings under his feet. He looked at Merlin, sadness in his heart.

"Command me, and I will end her," Kilgharrah assured him.

Merlin shook his head. "No." He walked over to the white dragon, placing a hand on her forehead. Quietly he whispered in the dragon tongue, ordering her never to harm another human being, and to flee Camelot. Kilgharrah released her and she fled, obeying Merlin's commands.

Arthur, hobbling over to Merlin, looked at Kilgharrah in amazement. "I killed you."

The Great Dragon laughed merrily. "No, good king, you did not."

"Merlin!" Arthur glared. "I killed him!"

The warlock scratched his ear and smirked. "Yeah about that."

Arthur began to stumble, and Merlin caught him. He turned to Kilgharrah. "I'll be in touch. Do what you can to rid us of Morgana's remaining forces."

The Great Dragon bowed his head. "Of course."

As the dragon flew off, Merlin allowed his spell of aging to dissipate. Together, he and Arthur struggled to base camp. Arthur used his cloak to hold fast the bleeding. Over rocks and through small ditches they went until at last they reached it.

As King Arthur and his loyal servant stumbled into camp they found Fira backed against a wall, Gwaine defending her from a mob of people. She looked defeated, saddened. Merlin wondered what happened.

"Someone help me with the king!" Merlin shouted, hoping to distract them.

The group turned and a few healers took the king away. But he shook his head. He wanted to know what happened.

"This witch used magic to enchant Sir Gwaine!" A man reported quickly. "See how he defends her despite knowing her misdeeds!"

Gwaine rolled his eyes but continued to hold his sword out. He was not about to let anyone get away with harming the young woman behind him. "She used magic to heal me, Sire, not bewitch me."

Arthur frowned. "Bring her to me, in my tent."

The mob of angry guards and healers followed as Gwaine took her gently by the arm and escorted her.

"I know my way," she muttered.

Gwaine rolled his eyes and whispered back. "I'm satisfying the growing number of angry people. You should thank me."

Gwaine, Merlin, Arthur, and Fira all settled in the tent. A healer brought Merlin supplies as he began to tend to Arthur's wound. He took out several bottles of purified water, washed the wound, and began to stitch it. But he seemed worried. Something felt… off.

"Fira, want happened," Arthur asked quickly after he gritted his teeth in pain. "Ouch, Merlin!"

"If you'd stay still, sire, this would go much quicker!" The sorcerer rolled his eyes.

Gwaine answered for her. "I almost died, Fira saved my life. End of story."

Fira laughed without mirth. "I didn't have much choice he means. And I kind of knocked a guy into a table to keep it secret…"

She gestured to the small ruined table which sat in a pile of rubble behind them. Arthur rolled his eyes and would've laughed at the absolute absurdity of it all had Merlin not driven another needle into his side. As it was, he merely gritted his teeth, straightened up, and shook his head.

"We'll take you back to Camelot and decide what to do there. Until then," he smirked. "Sir Gwaine and Sir Leon, when he comes back, will guard you."

"I don't need a guard." She muttered quietly to herself. "I _need_ a decent bath and some sleep."

Gwaine laughed and put a hand on her shoulder to guide her to a separate tent. "I'll take her to her cell."

By the end of the day, only good news reached Camelot's king. All the Knights of the Round Table survived the day, and another twenty knights came out with minor injuries only. Most of the army survived as well. Morgana's body had been found, and Mordred's too. The remaining Saxons surrendered their weapons and vowed never to set foot on Camelot soil again.

The only casualty of the day seemed to be Fira's freedom.


	29. Avalon

_A/N: Double check the previous was read. There WILL be an update tomorrow, it will not read as updated because it will be within the 24 hour period after this one. So check back tomorrow._

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 _"For I will into the valley of Avalon to heal me of my grievous wound: if thou hear never more of me, pray for my soul."_

 _\- Le Morte d'Arthur_

* * *

The return to Camelot took a day and a half. Fira rode Aland, surrounded on all sides by the Knights of the Round Table. Technically she was a prisoner, but Arthur made sure no one treated her as such. Nevertheless her heart sunk each hour they rode towards the city. She hoped Arthur would elect for exile, and figured he would, but the mob of angry townsfolk might see to it she never made it to leaving.

Mid morning of their second day of travel, the citadel came into view. When they rode into the citadel and dismounted their horses, Arthur struggled. Merlin had been watching him closely, and feared the worst. The wound wasn't healing, and in fact had gotten steadily worse since the Battle. The only thing he knew to cause that kind of wound was a sword like Excalibur. The damage a blessed sword could do was deadly.

Together he and Arthur went up the stairs, leaving Fira with the knights. Already several servants stood whispering and pointing from where healers began spreading the news of her sorcery. Gwaine clenched his fists.

"Come on," Leon murmured. "Unfortunately, for your own safety, a cell is probably your best option right now."

Fira frowned but nodded. "I understand."

She allowed herself to be led towards the dungeons. Fira did not protest, but she didn't intend to allow herself to die either. If Arthur made the decision to execute her, however unlikely, she would force her way to safety. She doubted it would come to that though. As they placed her in a holding cell, she sat against the back wall. The ground felt cold to the touch, and dirt lay everywhere. There even seemed to be a bit of dried blood.

"I'm going to stay," Galahad told the others. "You go see to Arthur."

Fira sent him a small smile. The others looked unsatisfied, but they knew Arthur needed them more. Together Gwaine, Leon, Elyan, and Percival hurried to the royal chambers. Once there, they found Merlin looking particularly troubled, Gaius beside him. Arthur lay in bed, obviously in pain, his face pale as the bedsheet he lay beneath. Guinevere dotted his forehead with a wet rag.

"What's wrong?" Elyan asked quickly. "The wound wasn't deep."

"I think the sword that pierced him was enchanted," Merlin frowned. "I can't cure it."

"Are you saying this could kill him?" Leon demanded.

Arthur rolled his eyes and tried to sit up. "Merlin has a solution."

"There's a place… it's called Avalon." Merlin began slowly, trying to figure out how best to put his idea into words. "It's the gateway between our world and the Otherworld. Kilgharrah had told me before that the Seelie Court is willing to heal the Once and Future King, if ever he is near death."

Arthur nodded. "Merlin, bring me that paper over on my desk, and a quill with ink."

Everyone looked utterly confused. Gwen helped the king sit up against his pillows and headboard. Merlin brought the paper and a wooden tablet for him to write on.

"As of this moment, magic is legal in Camelot again. I am repealing the laws my father put in place." Arthur explained this weakly. "Fira is to be set free, and granted the title of Dame. Merlin, you are to be made First Advisor and Court Wizard."

Merlin froze. "What?"

"I thought you'd be happy, clotpole." Arthur joked. "Help me sign this. I wrote it up before the battle."

Merlin dipped the quill into the ink and handed it to King Arthur. After a moment's hesitation, he signed it into law. Merlin grinned like a child with candy. But as Arthur's face contorted in pain once again, he snapped into physician mode.

"We need to get you to Avalon." Merlin looked at Gwen. "It's a day's ride from here."

"First I need to announce this new law," Arthur said, shaking his head.

" _I_ will do that," Guinevere insisted. She turned to the knights. "Prepare a carriage for him. We'll leave in three hours."

The four knights bowed and sped off to do as instructed. Guinevere flagged down a servant to gather the townsfolk. She would address them as soon as possible.

Within the hour, the whole of the town had gathered outside the citadel. Guinevere went to the balcony to address them, wearing her finest attire and her regal crown. The people hushed as she smiled at them.

"Loyal citizens of Camelot. It was with great pleasure that I can formally announce the defeat of the Lady Morgana and her army."

Applause and cheers went up from the crowd. She raised her hand for silence.

"Unfortunately, our great King suffered a deadly wound at the hands of Mordred, the traitor. In order to cure him, the King has decided to lift the ban on magic."

Silence. Absolutely silence.

"This has been a long time coming. Fira and Merlin, two trusted servants within the castle, have both been protecting this city secretly with magic. They taught each of us that magic is merely a gift. What one does with it determines its danger."

A murmur ran through the crowd.

"By order of King Arthur of Camelot, Merlin shall be First Advisor to the crown, and Court Wizard."

Guinevere looked out and saw their shock.

"Fira shall be granted the position of Dame and continue to serve as assistant to the Court Physician."

Even louder murmuring rippled through the crowd. She continued quickly.

"Many of you have grown up believing magic evil, but I, _we_ , ask you to realize this is not the case. King Arthur will be gone for a while, healing in place called Avalon. Until then, I rule in his stead."

She paused before ending.

"Copies of the new law shall be posted around the city for you to view, and knights will be able to explain for those who cannot read."

Guinevere left the balcony and took off her crown. She changed into traveling clothes and hurried to where Arthur had been placed in the cart. Merlin handed her her brown horse.

"Some speech!" He smiled. "Are you ready?"

She nodded. "Yes."

Suddenly they heard a laugh. Fira came running over, grabbing Gwen in a hug. The queen smiled and hugged her back.

"I can't believe it!" Fira shook her head. "When Galahad told me… I laughed in his face."

Galahad shrugged. "What can I say?"

Fira turned to the cart and fell serious again. "My lord, I misjudged you. For this I am truly sorry."

Arthur shook his head. "No harm done. I don't hold it against you. I can't claim to understand the struggles you've gone through."

Fira felt her eyes tearing up. "Let's get you to Avalon."

And so they set off. Elyan, Percival, and Leon rode in front. Following them was the cart. Merlin sat inside with Arthur, monitoring his health. It continued to deteriorate. In the back, Gwen, Fira, Gwaine, and Galahad kept rear guard.

They decided to ride straight through to the Lake of Avalon despite the dark falling. Arthur looked worse than before, and Merlin assured them his magic could protect the group. In fact, the ride when off without a hitch.

All found themselves yawning by the time they reached the banks of the lake. Leon and Gwaine helped the dying Arthur down from his carriage. Gwen lifted his face and kissed it.

"You come back to me, Arthur Pendragon," she ordered, trying to mask her solemn sadness. "For our child."

"I'll always come back," he assured her, struggling to speak.

"How does this work?" Elyan asked Merlin quietly. "It's a lake."

"I dont-"

As he spoke, a great rushing of water like a waterfall was heard. They all looked to the source and found a great bubbling and moving of water at the surface of the lake. As they moved closer, a figure stood from the water.

Merlin's breath hitched. "Freya!"

"Hello, Merlin," she smiled. "Bring the Once and Future King to me. I will take him across the worlds."

Gwaine and Leon hesitated only a moment. Merlin urged them on.

"I am the Lady of the Lake," Freya assured them. "He is safe with me."

"You can trust her," Merlin assured them.

Gwaine smiled. "You know her?"

"Yeah." Merlin nodded sadly. He looked back at her. "Yeah I do."

"Do not worry, Merlin," Freya smiled. "Someday, we'll meet again."

Merlin felt tears in his eyes but he nodded. "Please, just heal the king."

She nodded. "Bring him here."

Gwaine and Leon helped Arthur into the water. She took hold of him and nodded for them to leave. After another hesitant moment, both knights left the lake.

"Are you prepared, sire?" Freya asked Arthur as he struggled to stay awake.

With a small nod, he answered yes.

Freya sunk down into the water, and the rushing waterfall noise began again. Moments passed and their king had left the world. Gwen cried openly now, dropping her strong facade now that her husband had left.

"Do you smell that?" Gwaine paused as they turned to leave. "Smells like apples."

Leon snorted and shook his head. Together the entire company prepared to ride home. Fira and Merlin comforted their queen, assuring her that Arthur would someday return, fully healed.

"And he might learn something, too," Merlin joked.

Gwen nodded. "Yes. Maybe he will."


	30. Epilogue

_A/N: This is going to be a lot more fun if you've read the previous story, Blood Bonds. If you don't understand everything that happens here, it's probably because you didn't read it. So. I invite you to go do so because once you get into chapters 18-50, it's an epic adventure._

* * *

 **Epilogue**

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 _"_ _Yet some men say in many parts of England that King Arthur is not dead...and men say that he shall come again."_

 _\- Le Morte d'Arthur_

* * *

Great laughter sounded in the practice yard as the knights sparred against one another. Fira fought also, mostly against Galahad. Now that all knew of her magic, it became a normal task for her to demonstrate how to defend against magic without having magic in one's self.

Six months since King Arthur's stay in the Otherworld began, Gwaine found himself watching Fira send a spike of ice straight at Galahad. He dodged left and moved closer to her, forcing the sorceress to lift her left-handed sword in a block. Gwaine laughed as Fira dropped her sword and glared at Galahad. Her friend was in for it now. Fira spun away and grabbed Galahad's arm. She enchanted a spell and he shouted as his arm grew cold. He dropped his own sword.

Tor, Morholt, and several other knights burst out laughing at Galahad's indignant expression. Fira herself doubled over she laughed so hard. But soon enough she shook his hand in peace.

"Gwaine!"

The knight spun around to find Elyan watching him humorously. "What?"

"Sparring, remember?"

"Oh right."

Gwaine turned ferociously into Elyan, swinging like a man possessed to catch the dark knight off guard. The other man jumped back and shook his head with a smile. He held his sword up and swung back.

Suddenly, a rolling noise as of thunder sounded in the practice yard. The entire field looked around and at that sky in confusion. Today there wasn't a cloud in the sky, there hadn't been for days.

Gwaine froze. He _knew_ that noise. And he _knew_ the smell that now radiated around them. _Apples._ Elyan noticed his change in demeanor immediately and asked him what was wrong. Gwaine didn't respond.

With a flash, a tear between worlds appeared not far from them. The knights ran towards it with swords out, but Gwaine shook his head. He ran faster than all of them, standing before the tear with hope in his eyes.

Out of the tear came a beautiful woman. She was clothed in a blush pink dress that flowed about her in cascading waves. Her unkempt golden hair fell about her shoulders in a perfect mess. Her eyes, blue as pale sapphires, filled with tears when she saw him. With a soft laugh, she spoke.

"Hello, Gwaine."

"Lorie!"

Gwaine grabbed her in a kiss as she walked over to him, barefooted on a soft grass. The Round Table couldn't control their smiles as Gwaine reunited with his faerie fiancee. But then Lorie beckoned to someone else in the tear. The man who stepped out was also blonde, with blue eyes and a soft smile. A crown sat upon his head and he was clothed in reds and golds.

Someone shouted, "The king!"

Arthur had finally returned to them. The king lifted his hand and bowed to Lorie, who in turn bowed back.

"Sire!" Leon ran towards him quickly and took his arm in a handshake. "You're back."

"Indeed I am," Arthur laughed. "And glad to be back."

He walked among his men and shook their hands, embracing others. But soon he looked to the citadel and Leon took charge, ordering the knights to clear the way to the citadel courtyard.

Gwaine, Elyan, and Leon stayed beside the King as townsfolk cheered and shouted in joy. Lorie walked next to her lover, receiving many glances of awe at her otherworldly beauty. Quickly the moved to the citadel. When they arrived, Merlin and Gwen met them outside.

Guinevere embraced Arthur with a shout of joy. She kissed him, so overcome with happiness that everything around them melted away. Merlin, standing behind her, grinned and waited his turn to welcome the king back. As Gwen stepped away to gather herself, trying to stop her tears, Arthur embraced Merlin.

"You look nice," Arthur laughed as Merlin pulled away, dressed in fine clothes. "I bet you even have a servant of your own now."

Merlin laughed and rolled his eyes. "Yep. Philip is his name. Nice fellow."

Together, the Round Table and the Queen of Camelot walked inside the citadel. Merlin flagged down a servant and had him spread the news, and begin preparing a feast in Arthur's honor. The girl grinned widely and nodded, dashing away.

"So, how was Avalon?" Elyan asked.

Arthur smiled fondly. "I was fortunate enough to be placed under the care of the lovely faerie in our company."

Gwaine laughed and kissed Lorie again. "She's mine."

"She made sure I was well taken care of. And I learned a lot about magic." He turned to Fira and Merlin. "My father was wrong. And I have a lot to do to make up for his injustices."

"We'll be with you every step of the way," Fira assured him, to which Merlin immediately agreed.

"Gwaine, you would've like Avalon," Arthur added a moment later.

"Why's that, princess?"

Arthur chuckled. "Lots of apples."

Everyone gathered there laughed. But Gwaine merely winked at Lorie.

"The only thing from the Otherworld that I need is right here."

Fira opened her mouth in surprise and smiled. "Gwaine that is so romantic."

Lorie laughed and patted him on the chest. "I am the _best_ thing that ever happened to this man."

"Very true!" Gwaine nodded.

The group split up to prepare for the great feast that night. Gwen and Arthur headed to their chambers while Merlin and Fira decided to make sure preparations were going forward. Lorie and Gwaine disappeared, not to anyone's surprise. The other knights went to clean themselves up after practice.

The return of King Arthur ushered in a golden age of Camelot, and that night's feast remained in the memory of all who attended it forever. Legendary, is perhaps one way to describe it.

* * *

 **The End**

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 _A/N: Thank you to all the readers who have stuck with this story. I very much appreciate it. Though Flames of War has come to an end, the series has not._

 _Restoration, a story focusing on Percival, Gwaine, Galahad, and Fira, plus introducing several new OCs from the Legends, will be up and running by the time you read this. As this was inspired by Le Morte d'Arthur, Restoration will deal with the Holy Grail story. Regular updates for Restoration will be Tuesday/Friday._

 _Please, review or PM me any time. I respond to all signed reviews._


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